CONFIRMED: Suzuki line-up for Corsica and GB!

[Lalo]

http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~1108168,00.html


Tour de Corse: Nicolas Bernardi
Wales Rally GB: Sebastia Lindholm

:D

[ettelbruck]

Wales Rally GB: Sebastia Lindholm

BASTI !!! :eek: :eek:

[Doon]

A little shocked at both really!

But i suppose they could both be long term test drivers....?

[White Sauron]

it's quite a reasonable choice from Suzuki. These drivers are capable of good results, but even if they fail, no one can really blame the car, as the drivers aren't the best! So, if they "win", they win much, but what's more important for this year - if they "lose"... They don't lose anything at all with this choice!

[jonas_mcrae]

Suppose they are only the test drivers and the real driver line up will be announced at the end of the year hope they can make they suzuki look good. Although I would prefer to see someone else there.

[White Sauron]

Although I would prefer to see someone else there.


For example, Bengue instead of Bernardi in Corsica. Remember last year in Peugeot ;)

[Langdale Forest]

It is good to have a new team in the WRC but there is not much chance of Suzuki being able to beat Ford or Citroen this year.

[Tom206wrc]

For example, Bengue instead of Bernardi in Corsica. Remember last year in Peugeot ;)




And McRae in wales ??? :D

[jonkka]

It is good to have a new team in the WRC but there is not much chance of Suzuki being able to beat Ford or Citroen this year.

Nobuhiro Tajima seems to think otherwise, "Although we are newcomers we aim for the podium":
http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~1107715,00.html

[jso1985]

Is really a wise choice to put drivers who haven't had much WRC action in recent years to test the cars and hope for good feedback?

I think not, they should have given the car to experienced drivers that were active in WRC lately, like Bengue and Gardemeister

[ste898]

What a very strange choice of drivers!!!

[Addicted]

Who would be better test driver for gravel? Maybe someone like Armin Schwarz or Gigi Galli who can`t do two clean (no mistakes) test runs in row?

[A.F.F.]

Is really a wise choice to put drivers who haven't had much WRC action in recent years to test the cars and hope for good feedback?

I think not, they should have given the car to experienced drivers that were active in WRC lately, like Bengue and Gardemeister


How does WRC action differ from rally action? Can't speak for Bernardi but Lindholm sure has experience. I think it's a logic choise, it just needed a little melting :)

[BDunnell]

It is good to have a new team in the WRC but there is not much chance of Suzuki being able to beat Ford or Citroen this year.

I don't think they should be aiming for that. Saying that they reckon they can make the podium isn't a good start, to my mind — memories of the Nissan Sunny GTiR and all that... I would be delighted to be proved wrong, of course.

Oh, and I agree it's an odd choice of drivers, though I can partly understand them going for Lindholm given some of his recent 1000 Lakes performances.

[Livewireshock]

At this moment, they are looking for miles under the wheels. If they pushed for a win, they risk throwing the car off & the only WRC experience they will gain is how the Superrally rules work.

Testing under competition conditions is the name of the games here with two reasonable (also read cheaper) drivers who will act exactly as Suzuki desire prior to the full 2008 assault.

We often speculate on various drivers in various cars, often small contractual issues & sponsor conflicts spoil what might have been a different lineup.

[L5->R5/CR]

Nobuhiro Tajima seems to think otherwise, "Although we are newcomers we aim for the podium":
http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~1107715,00.html



I'd like to see the question that quote was an answer to....


I could see Tajima-san answering like that with regards to how much they would push. Or what the team's goals are for 2008. Or any number of questions that is a reasonable answer too.

Also, whether it was a Japanese media interview or not...

[Helstar]

Errrr uhm ok .... let's see ^^

[jonkka]

I think that factor may have been their former connection with Michel Nandan. It's easier to work with a technical director whom you already know and have worked with.

[koko0703]

Driver line up is one surprize. The other surprize is that Suzuki only brings one car. I would imagine all Suzuki wants out of these two rallies are testing data, and don't you think having two car is much better than just one car??? If you have two cars running, you can compare set-up, tires, and of course drivers. Is Suzuki behind the development schedule or lacking money already???

[Wim_Impreza]

I expected Bernardi for the Tour de Corse, because he is French. Otherwise this is not the best choice, Alexandre Bengué was a better choice. Lindholm is 46 (?) years and he has not compete in one rally this year, I don't understand the choice of Suzuki. Toni Gardemeister was a much better choice.

[pino]

http://www.wrc.com/page/News/BreakingNewsDetail/0,,10111~1108168,00.html


Tour de Corse: Nicolas Bernardi
Wales Rally GB: Sebastia Lindholm

:D

I don't agree with their choice, I would have given the seat to Panizzi in Corsica and Garde in Wales :D

[N]

Isn't Panizzi driving a 207 in Corsica?

[tannat]

I think not, they should have given the car to experienced drivers that were active in WRC lately, like Bengue and Gardemeister


Gardemeister would have been a fab choice for gravel. Rovanpera a lesser option.

Wonder if Markko was contacted? An all around fab choice. It would be so wonderful to see him back in a car again. A truly promising career was cut way to short...

Panizzi would be good for tarmac, and as long as we are choosing elder drivers (nee Lindholm), perhaps Delecour

[Koz]

Wales Rally GB: Sebastia Lindholm

:D
That just made my day!!

Damn Suzuki, would have been so much better to see Lindholm driving in in Finland!

[seb_sh]

That lineup is very surprising but it does seem logical. They are probably Suzuki test drivers as well, Lindholm especially has vast experience and iirc he was Peugeot test driver for a while.

[paxtech]

How about Duval? he was fast in Germany. I thought either Duval or Garde was a consideration for SUzuki. Was hoping too for the last crop of Mitsu works drivers (Gigi, Harri, Gilles). But I guess Suzuki will just do testing mostly rather results. Add to that the things like logistics, service capability, etc. Aiming for podiums at the very start is very ambitious, but who knows. Tajima might as well try to do a drive some time. That guy just won Pikes Peak again this year, breaking his own record. He deserves some fun in the stages.

[A.F.F.]

Aiming for podiums at the very start is very ambitious, but who knows.

Some would say even unrealistic. But not Monster Tajima :D

[teufel]

Wonder if Markko was contacted? An all around fab choice. It would be so wonderful to see him back in a car again. A truly promising career was cut way to short...


I think Markko has retired from wrc :(

[L5->R5/CR]

How about Duval? he was fast in Germany. I thought either Duval or Garde was a consideration for SUzuki. Was hoping too for the last crop of Mitsu works drivers (Gigi, Harri, Gilles). But I guess Suzuki will just do testing mostly rather results. Add to that the things like logistics, service capability, etc. Aiming for podiums at the very start is very ambitious, but who knows. Tajima might as well try to do a drive some time. That guy just won Pikes Peak again this year, breaking his own record. He deserves some fun in the stages.



Wasn't his own record.

It was Rod Millen's record from 1994 when the road was all dirt...

Tajima-san will return to try and break his own record in 2008 though...

[jso1985]

How does WRC action differ from rally action? Can't speak for Bernardi but Lindholm sure has experience. I think it's a logic choise, it just needed a little melting :)

I know both are hugeky experienced, specially Lindholm, but how much in touch have they been with latest spec WRC cars?

[DonJippo]

I know both are hugeky experienced, specially Lindholm, but how much in touch have they been with latest spec WRC cars?

Is Suzuki WRC latest enough?

[duff]

Well, I think they are slightly strange choices for the drives (especially only 1 car for each event) but I will try to trust that Suzuki have a plan and that they know what they are doing.

I do hope the company does well and sticks around for a number of years.

[cut the b.s.]

Suzuki needed 2 drivers with decent pace but who arent going to bin the car acting the hero, I think that is what they have got, no point sticking a young lad out to prove himself when all they want is miles to see where they are at in a WRC setting. Next year however I would be expecting different drivers

[jacko]

a bit suprise here too with those 2 drivers, to test the car they are okay persons but i believe Suzuki have to take the best possible drivers on the market to test the car on real rally curcimstances and both Bernardi and Lindholm are not those drivers. If Suzuki had entered 2 cars each round with for example Duval,Gardemeister or Galli (in that order..) in the second seat it would be another case.
Everybody is looking at the performance by Suzuki so it's their interest to have the strongest line-up to test the car and for 2008. Look at Peugeot back in 1999, they came with a superb driver line-up and they where competitive right form the start, same for Citroën! Teams with less strong drivers in the beginning never made the step to the top....

[COD]

They took drivers who until moving o Suzuki, tested Peugeots more than anyone else. Then they have done a lot of testing for Suzuki this year. As Suzuki is using these two rallies more as a test than anything else, what would have more logical than to use the drivers who know the car better than anyone else??? Then they can hire their 2008 drivers on different bases and let them test a lot after their contracts are signed. Am I the onlyone who thiks they have made a smart move?

[Koz]

Suzuki needed 2 drivers with decent pace but who arent going to bin the car acting the hero, I think that is what they have got, no point sticking a young lad out to prove himself when all they want is miles to see where they are at in a WRC setting. Next year however I would be expecting different drivers

Remember Lindholm in Finland 2004 :D ;) ???

[DonJippo]

They took drivers who until moving o Suzuki, tested Peugeots more than anyone else. Then they have done a lot of testing for Suzuki this year. As Suzuki is using these two rallies more as a test than anything else, what would have more logical than to use the drivers who know the car better than anyone else??? Then they can hire their 2008 drivers on different bases and let them test a lot after their contracts are signed. Am I the onlyone who thiks they have made a smart move?

No you are not and the reasoning is as you wrote.

[L5->R5/CR]

They took drivers who until moving o Suzuki, tested Peugeots more than anyone else. Then they have done a lot of testing for Suzuki this year. As Suzuki is using these two rallies more as a test than anything else, what would have more logical than to use the drivers who know the car better than anyone else??? Then they can hire their 2008 drivers on different bases and let them test a lot after their contracts are signed. Am I the onlyone who thiks they have made a smart move?




Also, it was probably more effective to hire drivers that don't have anything to prove. Lindholm and Bernardi aren't exactly realistic prospects for landing a rally seat or big sponsors to do rallies. They have nothing to prove commercially in that sense. At this point both are testers with little hope of becoming more than that. You know you are going to get great test rally driving out of them (plus they know the car).

I think it is also wise since if you pick drivers that aren't expected to do much even in a proven car the results, no matter what they are, won't be to disappointing as people can always play it off as the drivers were never going to do much either, it is a very calculated move that might just pay off...

[DonJippo]

Next year however I would be expecting different drivers

You will get what you expect... ;)

[duff]

Good points on the choice of drivers, but I'm still wondering why they only chose to run one car per rally.

[Le NaRcX]

Suzuki SX4 WRC 2007 Livery unveiled

http://www.suzuki-wrc.com/gallery/62nd_iaa/e/index.html

[jonkka]

Predominantly white? Caps they are wearing look quite swedish... :eek:

[Jaanus]

Blue, black and white, hmm looks like Estonian national flag colours :laugh:

[A.F.F.]

Blue, black and white, hmm looks like Estonian national flag colours :laugh:


It actually does look like Estonian flag :eek:

[J.Lindstroem]

Swedish and estonian, is that a sign?

Aava + Andersson in 2008??

[bennizw]

Good point, but I don't think the team jackets will reflect upon who will be in the squad for next year ;)

[Daniel]

Good points on the choice of drivers, but I'm still wondering why they only chose to run one car per rally.
Citroen did the same in 2002 :) Only 1 Xsara in Australia under the Piedafrita banner :)

[jacko]

Citroen did the same in 2002 :) Only 1 Xsara in Australia under the Piedafrita banner :)

yep, but that was not for testing the car, but for more experience for Loeb. They already saw a great driver in Loeb who could be a title-contender in the next years wich was indeed the case..

[Daniel]

How do you know it wasn't to test the car? :mark:

[jacko]

Good points on the choice of drivers, but I'm still wondering why they only chose to run one car per rally.

Only 1 car is especially in UK a wrong start, they didn't take lessons from teams that never made it to the top..
It's nice for the drivers that tested the cars the past months for most but for real: only Bernardi could take a (tarmac) seat next year and i think with the start of next year already within 5 months and between UK and MC only 1,5 month it was better to let a driver who will be one of the regular driver next year also do the testjob in Corsica and UK. All these "could be" drivers are availbale right now (Duval, Gardemeister or Galli) and if Suzuki don't take one of them i'm thinking we will face another Hyundai case..

[Le NaRcX]

http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/img_1880.jpg
http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/img_1876.jpg
http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/img_1878.jpg
http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/img_6372.jpg
http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/img_6374.jpg

[Livewireshock]

Great & intriguing photos!!!

[Langdale Forest]

Great pics!

It will be the first new team in the WRC since 2001.

[Woodeye]

I so hope that the car will be as fast as it looks.

Why Suzuki don't make SX4 street cars, only stupid crossovers? I would be first in line to buy one of those.

[Daniel]

I like it :)

[Josti]

Yes, it looks good. Time for the drivers line-up already :|

[GigiGalliNo1]

Why Suzuki don't make SX4 street cars, only stupid crossovers? I would be first in line to buy one of those.

They do! But the sedans rear end is Blah!

[Helstar]

Cool looking car ! Hope for some good speed too =D

[jacko]

How do you know it wasn't to test the car? :mark:
i remember this well why they did send only Loeb and not Radstrom aswell. The car had already proven themselfs that year, they already did real test rally's like Greece and Safari. Australia is not that special to test compare the previous ones or snow or tarmac rally's.

[jacko]

Let's bring it on the Suzuki SX4 :)

[Daniel]

i remember this well why they did send only Loeb and not Radstrom aswell. The car had already proven themselfs that year, they already did real test rally's like Greece and Safari. Australia is not that special to test compare the previous ones or snow or tarmac rally's.
Well lets just say I was there and could see that Loeb was just out for a Sunday drive he wasn't pushing. Australia's conditions are unique enough to warrant a test for a team if they have the money.

[jacko]

Well lets just say I was there and could see that Loeb was just out for a Sunday drive he wasn't pushing. Australia's conditions are unique enough to warrant a test for a team if they have the money.

yes Daniel, offcorse they did some test-work that weekend but the main reason was to go to Australia was for extra xperience for Loeb.

[Tomi]

good choise to put the testdrivers behind the steeringwheel.

[jacko]

good choise to put the testdrivers behind the steeringwheel.

Well, it's clear 2008 will be a full learning year for Suzuki with no expectations otherwise i can't understand to test with one car on each round this year.
So with one car Bernardi is a good choose at the moment, he's French, so in Corsica there's extra promotion for him, second he's quick on tarmac third he did already a few times the Corsica rally and he's knowing the car on tarmac very good.
Lindholm is another story: i really do believe that Suzuki will have a name for the no.1 seat next year before the entry-list is closing for the UK round, so it was better to take that driver for rally UK instead of a one-off-go-and- end-of-story Lindholm. Even Rovanpera was a better option.
Suzuki in my eyes already has showing signs of weakness...

[Tomi]

Lindholm is another story: i really do believe that Suzuki will have a name for the no.1 seat next year before the entry-list is closing for the UK round, so it was better to take that driver for rally UK instead of a one-off-go-and- end-of-story Lindholm. Even Rovanpera was a better option.
Suzuki in my eyes already has showing signs of weakness...

I think its because like jonkka said, Nandan and Lindholm has been working so many years together already, and he will be the guy who tests the Suzuki more than anyone else next year too, the feedback is much more easier to understand when you know the driver well also, better to see theese outings like tests and nothing else no matter what Tajima says about podium finishes.

[GigiGalliNo1]

i say that there will be some good positions next year with the SX4 WRC and even this season some great times! :)

[Flyinglex]

why?

[pucky54]

When will they show up the livery of the car???

[Daniel]

it's already been revealed.

[pucky54]

Really? They'll stay in this white livery?

[Roy]

I hope only for this test season it will be this livery
http://www.suzuki-wrc.com/gallery/62nd_iaa/e/index.html

[SubaruNorway]

very boring livery though

[noel157]

I thought Suzuki were planning to announce 08 drivers at Frankfurt. Anybody know when it's (or if it is) scheduled?

[Woodeye]

I so hope that the car will be as fast as it looks.

Why Suzuki don't make SX4 street cars, only stupid crossovers? I would be first in line to buy one of those.

Funny that I happened to mention that:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/suzuki-to-introduce-wrx-rival.html

:up:

[AndyRAC]

Still don't know why they won't make a 3 door version, same as Skoda, the Fabia would've looked better with 3 doors. Put it this way, it wouldn't make me go out and buy an SX4.