This year the Suzuki World Rally Team has been extremely busy in preparation for the forthcoming debut of the SX4 World Rally Car.
A new base for the Suzuki World Rally Team has been established in France and a new line up of highly experienced personnel has been assigned the task of preparing the SX4 World Rally Car for its first entry into competition.
So far, two experienced drivers have been entrusted with the task of testing and developing the SX4 World Rally Car for competition on both Gravel and Tarmac surfaces and in order to maintain consistency and assist with our goal of developing the car fully in preparation for the 2008 season , it has been decided that the drivers entrusted with the job of testing the SX4 World Rally Car to this point, shall be granted the privilege of debuting the first Suzuki World Rally Car in the two test World Rally Championship events selected for participation in 2007.
It is with great pleasure that I announce that the driver selected to drive the SX4 World Rally Car in its debut TARMAC World Rally Championship event; The Rally de France - Tour de Corse , will be Nicholas BERNARDI co-driven by Jean-Marc FORTIN
And that the driver selected to drive the SX4 World Rally Car in its debut GRAVEL World Rally Championship event -Wales rally GB, will be Sebastien LINDHOLM, co-driven by Tomi TUOMINEN
Suzuki has competed successfully since 2002 in the Junior World Rally Championship and Asia Pacific Rally Championship with young and relatively inexperienced ‘Junior’ drivers and helped them to achieve numerous successes in the sport.
It has always been our dream to find the new ’stars of the future’ and to give those young drivers the opportunity and encourage and support them to reach the pinnacle of the sport. We feel that by helping younger drivers to achieve greater things in the World Rally Championship that the sports popularity will grow and its future will be guaranteed.
2004 Junior World Rally Champion and current Suzuki driver - P-G Andersson and long time Suzuki driver; Urmo Aava are current recipients of Suzuki’s support and guidance and will undoubtedly see more success in future WRC seasons to come.
Suzuki has invested heavily in the World Rally Championship over the past five years and been rewarded by the exposure that the sport presents. By continuing to invest in the World Rally Championships as a medium to promote Suzuki vehicles, with a new car and at the top level , it is our hope that the World Rally Championship will also grow and develop further and encourage other manufacturers to become involved again.
With regard to driver selection for Suzuki’s first full season with the SX4 World Rally Car in the World Rally Championship in 2008, no decision has yet been made as to which drivers will be entrusted with the task of piloting the SX4 World Rally Cars for the duration of the 2008 season.
Over the next couple of months we shall be reviewing all possibilities for driver selection in 2008 and endeavor to make decisions based upon our strategies to date. Alongside its young drivers, Suzuki has grown from being a newcomer in the Junior World Rally Championships in 2002 to achieving success and winning a Junior world championship title in 2004 along with countless national and international titles.
Suzuki has successfully developed 3 generations of Super 1600 car and many Group N cars that are continually seeing success all over the World.
In 2007 and 2008 Suzuki becomes a beginner again taking on its biggest challenge to date in the absolute top level of the World Rally Championship. Our strategy will be to grow as a World Level team and to select SX4 World Rally Car drivers and team personnel capable of growing with us to develop our cars into cars that can win World Titles again in the future.
We appreciate your continued support and ask that you follow closely our progress over the next few years.
Thank you.
Team Principal of the Suzuki World Rally Team
Nobuhiro Tajima
President of Suzuki Sport Co., Ltd.