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Suzuki Juniors face up to final round of Junior World Rally Championship
This year's Junior World Rally Championship draws to a close with the all-asphalt Rallye de France-Tour de Corse: the same event that concluded the Junior series in 2007 and crowned Suzuki driver P-G Andersson as champion for the second time.
This year, Suzuki is represented as usual by Estonian Jaan Molder and Polish driver Michal Kosciuszko in the Swift Super 1600s run by Suzuki Sport Europe. Another
Suzuki Swift Super 1600 has been entered by Suzuki Rally Junior Team Germany for German driver Florian Niegel. Finally, there will be a fourth Suzuki Swift Super 1600 entered by Suzuki France for Pierre Marche - running as a ?ewild card' in the Junior World Rally Championship for this event.
All four cars had a successful run over the short six-kilometre shakedown test this morning: a last-minute opportunity to adjust the set-up and check the car's systems prior to the beginning of the rally. The ceremonial start took place in the town centre of Ajaccio - the birthplace of Napoleon - at 18:00, but the real action will not get underway until 09:18 tomorrow, with the first of 16 all-asphalt stages.
The twisty mountain roads of Corsica have helped write the history of the World Rally Championship, so they are an appropriate arena for the final battle of this year's Junior series. One of the biggest unknown factors in Corsica is the weather, with rain at high altitude remaining a distinct possibility. Conditions were dry and warm for the shakedown and ceremonial start today, but anything can happen over the next three days and 359 competitive kilometres.
News from Jaan Molder/Frederic Miclotte (Suzuki Swift n.32):
"After completing the Rallye de Espana, I am much more up to speed with asphalt driving now. From what I could feel of the car at shakedown today, it gives me a lot of confidence even on these very tricky asphalt roads. My goal on this rally will be to put all the lessons I have learned from Spain into practice."
News from Michal Kosciuszko/Maciek Szczepaniak (Suzuki Swift n.35):
"I think this rally could be better for us than Spain was. Although we do not have a chance to win the drivers' title any more we can still finish second, so that would be a good result. All that is largely out of my hands though: all we can do is our best, so we will be pushing from the start."
News from Florian Niegel/Andre Kachel (Suzuki Swift n.43):
"I've really enjoyed my first season of the Junior World Rally Championship, even though we've struggled with our inexperience some of the time. This will be my third asphalt event this year so hopefully we can use some past experience and end this season on a high. We had no problems in shakedown: the car felt very good."
News from Pierre Marche/Julien Giroux (Suzuki Swift n.60):
"I've been given a fantastic opportunity from Suzuki France and now it is down to me to make the most of it. This is a very difficult rally, so I need to start off at my own pace and gradually build up confidence with the roads and the car."
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JWRC Rd.7 France Day3 Photo
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JWRC Rd.7 France Day2 Photo
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