by Rob Wilkins


TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH TONI GARDEMEISTER: CLICK HERE


Toni Gardemeister returned to the WRC full time this year having secured a drive with the new Suzuki World Rally Team. The pace of the new SX4 WRC has been encouraging at times - but unfortunately reliability has been more of an issue. Indeed Toni only has only managed to finish twice in eight events. Crash.net Radio spoke to him recently to get his thoughts ahead of the start of the second half of the season...



Crash.net:
Toni, the year started off well for Suzuki with those points finishes in Monte Carlo and Sweden. After that though, it has been a bit tougher. What are your hopes now for the second half of the season?

Toni Gardemeister:
For Finland we will have a new car. I don't know yet what new parts we will have, but these new parts will help. They should bring some more speed and some more reliability. I hope that the second part of the year is a lot better than the first. Okay we had some good times and good pace. But we had a lot of problems with the car as well.

Crash.net:
As you said, Suzuki will have some upgrades for Finland. How much of a difference will that make?

TG:
I don't know yet what things there are specifically. But there is something for the suspension and new hydraulics. Maybe the new hydraulics will help us because we had some problems with them earlier in the season.

Crash.net:
Have you got a test before Finland?

TG:
Yeah, we have only one day now, but at least we will do that. It is set for next week on Monday [July 28], in the build-up to the Rally Finland.

Crash.net:
Finland is obviously your home event, will that spur you on?

TG:
It is always a very good feeling to drive there and you always want to get a good result on your home event. You have a lot of friends and family there. I don't think I will push more there though. I still want to ensure I get to the finish. But of course it would be nice to get a good result.

Crash.net:
Is Finland one of your favourite events?

TG:
It is one of my favourites. But I don't think it is the best event or the one I like the most. It is definitely in my top five though.

Crash.net:
After Finland the WRC goes to Germany. Germany is one of three asphalt events in the second part of the year. How is the SX4 WRC on tarmac?

TG: