29.2.2008 - Rally Mexico proves tough for Suzuki

Both Suzuki SX4 WRCs have been forced to retire from the all-gravel Rally Mexico, after a tough day that took its toll on the engines. P-G Andersson had a promising run through the first three stages of the all-gravel event, setting top-eight times on all of them, but then he noticed a loss of power on the way back to service in Leon. The car made it back, but it was decided that he would not restart so that the engine could be returned to the factory for analysis.

Toni Gardemeister also had engine problems through the opening loop of stages, with intermittent throttle response. He started SS4 in the afternoon, but stopped a few kilometres into the stage. The Finn, contesting his 100th world rally in Mexico, was also forced into retirement. The engines of both cars will be flown back to Japan for detailed examination.

The SX4 WRC was competing on only its third full event this season, coming just three weeks after the last rally in Sweden. Although the new Suzuki has scored points on all the rallies it has contested so far this year, the time for testing and development has been short. The demands of Rally Mexico are very specific, with high-altitude stages making the engine work hard on the fast and challenging roads. Mexico was also only the second-ever event on gravel for the Suzuki SX4 WRC, following on from one test event on the Rally Great Britain last year.

Gardemeister suffered from engine-related issues throughout the opening loop of stages, and the team has resolved to work hard to get to the bottom of these incidents.

Toni Gardemeister: ³Unfortunately my 100th rally has been memorable for the wrong reasons! We didn¹t really get a chance to show what we were capable of today as from the first stage the engine was down on power and we just had to try and get through the opening loop. It was a strange problem as sometimes there was power and other times there wasn¹t. I¹ve got every confidence that the team will find out what the problem is; we have to remember that the car is still very new, and we have a lot of work to do.²

Nobuhiro Tajima, Suzuki World Rally Team principal: ³I feel so very sorry for both of our drivers, especially Toni who was starting his 100th WRC rally here. This was an incredibly disappointing experience for all of us. As was the case in Monte Carlo and Sweden, we have been stopped by an engine problem and we suspect that it is for a similar reason, although we will only know for sure once we fully examine the cars. It¹s clear that we have an issue with the engines, but under the current engine linking regulations we are not permitted to change the engine during or in between the rallies to try and understand the problem. As a new team we want to and we need to improve: but sometimes this is not easy when the rules are not in your favour as a newcomer. It was always going to be tough for us here. Toni did not really have a chance today, but until his retirement P-G was again doing a fantastic job for us. The potential is still very much there and we all have confidence that we will bounce back from this disappointment.²

28.2.2008 - Suzuki off to a colourful start in Guanajuato

The Rally Mexico, round three of the World Rally Championship, got underway this evening with a spectacular ceremonial start ceremony in the town of Guanajuato ­ a UNESCO world heritage site, famous for its brightly-coloured houses and network of underground tunnels that traverse the town centre. In front of thousands of excited fans, Toni Gardemeister and P-G Andersson drove their Suzuki SX4 WRCs over the start ramp, hoping to continue the successful run that has seen the SX4 WRC score points in both rallies it has contested so far this season.

The real action starts tomorrow at 0800, with the first of 20 gravel special stages. Mexico is the first event on gravel of the entire season, so it will be vital for the drivers to find a good set-up for the future. This work was started at the shakedown near the rally¹s host city of Leon this morning: an opportunity for both drivers to put the SX4 WRC through its paces on gravel for the first time.

The SX4 WRC is running in gravel specification for the first time this year on only its third rally, so there is a lot to learn for the drivers and the engineers. Both cars ran without major problems through the warm conditions of the shakedown this morning, although Gardemeister reported a minor hydraulic glitch that was quickly fixed at service. For the 32 year-old Finn, this year¹s Rally Mexico is a milestone as he celebrates his 100th World Championship event after 12 years in the sport. This important anniversary was marked at a press gathering in Suzuki¹s service area during the afternoon.

The SX4 WRC has run on gravel once before as part of Suzuki¹s testing programme last year ­ on the Rally Great Britain ­ but the specification of the car has changed considerably since. P-G Andersson concentrated on some minor suspension adjustment to fine-tune the car for the gravelly stages, and both drivers are in confident form ahead of the 353.75 competitive kilometres that await them in central Mexico.

Toni Gardemeister: ³From the recce I can see that the road conditions look quite nice, better than they have been when I did the rally before in 2005. It¹s the sort of event where if we do a good job and have no problems, then for sure we will finish in the points. The last time I did this rally I was very sick, so I don¹t remember so much about it, but I think it will be a lot of fun this year. I would like my 100th rally to be a memorable one, after all!²

Nobuhiro ŒMonster¹ Tajima, Suzuki World Rally Team principal: ³Mexico is going to be a very challenging event for us, as it is our first test on gravel this year and neither of our drivers know the rally well. Another important factor is the altitude, which can take away a lot of the power. We have no idea how our car will react in these conditions but that is why we are here ­ to learn. The Mexican fans have given us a very warm welcome at the start in Guanajuato, so we hope to entertain them on the stages tomorrow!²

21.2.2008 - Gardemeister and Suzuki celebrate a Mexican fiesta!

Rally Mexico, round three of this year¹s World Rally Championship, will mark an important milestone for Toni Gardemeister and Suzuki. For Gardemeister, Mexico is his 100th World Rally Championship start, while for Suzuki it is the SX4 WRC¹s first competitive appearance outside of Europe ­ as well as the first round of this year¹s championship to be held on gravel.

Having started his World Championship career on the 1996 Rally Finland, Gardemeister is also the factory driver who has been competing on the series for the longest amount of time ­ despite the fact that he is still only 32 years of age!

The action is sure to be fast and furious on the colourful Rally Mexico, but once again Suzuki finds itself facing a steep learning curve. With the last test event on gravel for the SX4 WRC coming at the 2007 Rally Great Britain, the team and drivers will have to try to find the correct set-up as they go along. Mexico is a crucial event as it is the first World Rally of the year to be held in normal gravel conditions, following the slippery asphalt of Monte Carlo and the icy slush of Sweden. The information gathered in the heat and dust of Mexico will be vital for the many gravel events that are still to come.

The Mexican stages have a number of peculiarities however. With some stages peaking at more than 2000 metres, Mexico is the highest event on the World Championship. The effect of this altitude is to rob the turbocharged engines of power, with cars losing up to 25 percent of their total horsepower in the thin air.

The rally is based in Leon, the leather capital of Mexico, and comprises 20 special stages totalling 353.75 competitive kilometres. For more information: www.rallymexico.com

Mexico joined the World Rally Championship in 2004, but Suzuki has only competed there once ­ with the Ignis Super 1600 in 2005. The SX4 WRC only has one gravel event behind it ­ last year¹s Rally Great Britain with Sebastian Lindholm ­ so there will be a lot to learn. Nonetheless the basic speed and reliability of the SX4 WRC has been good for a car in this very early stage of its career, with a pair of points finishes already in the bag after the two opening rounds of the World Championship.

Following the Swedish Rally a number of small improvements have been made to the hydraulic system in order to improve reliability and also performance. The Mexican stages are reasonably smooth so the car will run in standard gravel trim. The roads are notoriously hard on brakes though, which will be one of the many factors considered when determining the set-up. Mexico is also the first outing for Pirelli¹s new ŒScorpion¹ gravel control tyres.

Toni Gardemeister and P-G Andersson have one thing in common heading into the Rally Mexico: they have both competed on the rally on just one occasion, in 2005. Andersson has happy memories of the event, finishing second in class behind his Suzuki team mate, while Gardemeister mostly remembers being afflicted with a heavy flu that hampered his performance. On the occasion of his 100th world rally though, the Finn is feeling upbeat and in perfect health.

³To rack up 100 world rallies is a nice achievement,² he said. ³I¹ve been in the championship for quite some time now, but it¹s a bit misleading as there are quite a lot of people who have done more rallies than me. I¹m looking forward to Mexico: I was so ill the last time I did this rally that I struggled to finish sixth. Maybe that¹s why I don¹t remember so much about it! But I do remember that the stages were nice, although there were some very big rocks that seemed to come out of nowhere. We have to be realistic and accept that this will not be an easy rally for us as everything is unknown. But I¹m aiming to enjoy my 100th event and score some more points for Suzuki. I think that¹s definitely possible.²

The pressure is on for Suzuki in Mexico, as it aims to continue its perfect points-scoring record so far from home. As it is the first long-haul event of the season, the team will be using the fly-away kit for the first time, which is freighted from event to event when it is not possible to use the normal trucks.

Mexico is also the very first gravel event of Suzuki¹s first full World Championship season, making it important for the team to adapt the car to this new surface quickly. Under these difficult circumstances, the team nonetheless aims to score a points finish with both cars.

Nobuhiro ŒMonster¹ Tajima, Suzuki¹s team principal, commented: ³This rally will be a very big test for us, but we need to approach it patiently and methodically ­ as we have done throughout the season so far. Of course we start off at a disadvantage compared to our more experienced rivals, but this is all part of the learning process. Gravel will be a new adventure for us this year in Mexico and it is important for us to get it right, step by step, in view of all the other events to come. At the same time we aim to enjoy ourselves and help Toni celebrate his 100 World Rallies! I am very pleased that this important anniversary has come with Suzuki.²