The
Suzuki World Rally Team has confirmed that it will be aiming for improved reliability in Sardinia this weekend in order to fulfil its objective of bringing both cars home in the points.
The Paris-based operation endured a real nightmare event in Jordan two weeks ago with
Toni Gardemeister and Per-Gunnar Andersson both failing to finish the inaugural round in the Middle East.
Despite that though, Suzuki World Rally team boss Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima believes that they will get it right - in time.
"We still have a long way to go and a lot to improve. However, by staying focused on our common goals and making progress step by step, I am confident that we will eventually achieve our objectives," he vowed.
"To succeed in the World Rally Championship is extremely tough, and Sardinia will play an important part in our development process."
Toni Gardemeister and Per-Gunnar Andersson meanwhile are also both pretty confident and the former continues to maintain that they can get more points with the SX4 WRC, assuming they have the reliability.
"It's a tricky rally as it is very inconsistent: the grip and the surfaces are changing all the time," said Toni.
"On the whole, the surfaces are quite slippery and soft on the top, with a harder base underneath. It's also quite dusty, so the circumstances are far from easy.
"The key to success for us will be achieving a good level of reliability. If we can stay out of trouble, then I have absolutely no doubt that we can score points; even quite good points. That has to be the aim here."
P-G Andersson, who actually has more experience of this event than Gardemeister and who has competed on every Rally d'Italia since it joined the WRC in 2004, is also hopeful.
"I like this rally a lot, although you have to be very careful not to pick up punctures - especially during the second run through the stages," he added. "The main thing I think is to be very neat and precise, which I try to be all the time anyway. I'm feeling reasonably optimistic.
