2004 FIA Junior World Rally Championship
Round 6 – Rally of Italy-Sardinia (30 September-03 October)
Sunday 03 October 2004 - Final

SUZUKIS TAKE TOP FOUR IN SARDINIA!

Suzukis have finished in top four places on the Rally d'Italia! P-G Andersson took his third JWRC victory of the year, ahead of Guy Wilks and Mirco Baldacci. Guy maintains the lead of the championship, while P-G moves into second place. The Ignis demonstrated perfect reliability and driveability throughout all three days of this most challenging event.

An impressive Suzuki podium in Sardinia!

The final day of the Rally d'Italia-Sardinia was once again characterised by fast and flowing gravel roads over some of the most spectacular scenery on the island, with some sharp rocks by the side of the road. Temperatures remained dry and warm over the 19 classic gravel stages that made up this exciting new event.

Suzuki Ignis number 31 - Mirco Baldacci (RSM)/Giovanni Bernacchini (I)
3rd after leg three
2 fastest stage times

Mirco started the final leg of his home event in second place overall, but dropped to third with a puncture on stage 18, letting Guy Wilks into the runner-up spot. Apart from that, he had no problems on the final day and enjoyed the Sardinian stages.

He said: "I couldn't believe it: the puncture came on the front-right just a kilometre into the stage. I was forced to stop and change the tyre – I really don't think this is our year! Apart from that the car has been perfectly reliable: we certainly had the pace to win if things had been a little different."

Suzuki Ignis number 33 - Guy Wilks (GB)/Phil Pugh (GB)
2nd after leg three

Championship leader Guy Wilks suffered more problems with catching the dust of the competitors ahead on the morning loop of three stages. However, he found himself in the strange position of competing in Italy while clinching the British Super 1600 championship. Back in Sardinia, his Ignis suffered no mechanical problems and he was able to maintain the lead of the Junior World Championship.

He said: "It was great for Suzuki and for me to win the British title, but to be honest I really wasn't thinking about that today! I've got one title – now I want another. Our big chance for that comes in a month's time in Spain. As far as this rally goes it was all about dust for us – but the car itself was perfect."

Suzuki Ignis number 35 - Kosti Katajamaki (FIN)/Timo Alanne (FIN)
4th after leg three
1 fastest stage time

Kosti had absolutely no problems at all during the final six stages and consolidated his excellent position in order to concentrate on maximising his championship points haul. Both Kosti and his Ignis were perfectly reliable.

He said: "It was day one which spoiled the rally for us when we had a puncture and damaged the suspension on a very big rock. After that it was an excellent weekend with no problems at all today and a perfect car for the stages. It was good fun!"

Suzuki Ignis number 45 - Per-Gunnar Andersson (S)/Jonas Andersson (S)
1st after leg three!
1 fastest stage time

P-G started today with a 40-second advantage, and concentrated on maintaining his lead to the finish and not losing focus. He had no problems to take a tremendously well-deserved third Junior World Championship victory and a fantastic 9th overall result.

He said: "It helped me to make a small attack last night. Today's stages were so tricky that I didn't want to be pushing hard in them. It's fantastic to win my third rally of the year but now I have to focus on Catalunya which will only be my fourth or fifth asphalt rally. While I don't have too much experience I have to go there looking for the win to get the championship."

Monster Sport Europe team manager Risto Laine commented: "Another fantastic result for Suzuki where we locked out the podium! All the drivers have been on fantastic form and the car has been extremely reliable. We've had the added bonus of winning the British Championship and getting one of our cars into the overall top 10. I don't think we can at all complain about our weekend's work!"

Suzuki Ignis number 32 - Urmo Aava (EE)/Kuldar Sikk (EE)
Retired on SS15

Urmo had been enjoying a clean and reliable run throughout the event, taking the lead on leg one and running comfortably in the points on the second day. Unfortunately, his good work came to nothing when he rolled off the road on stage 15.

The Estonian said: "It's a bitterly disappointing way to end a rally which started so well. But I was very encouraged to be leading the event with an older specification of car and I hope for a strong finish to the season."

The final leg of the Rally d'Italia-Sardinia was all about the Suzukis! P-G Andersson led from start to finish today, while Guy Wilks moved past Mirco Baldacci to claim second. Kosti Katajamaki's Ignis finished fourth, while the only opposition to Suzuki came from the Renaults of Larry Cols and Nicolas Bernardi who finished fifth and sixth.

1 P-G Andersson (Suzuki Ignis) 5h12m51.5s
2 Guy Wilks (Suzuki Ignis) +2m14.2s
3 Mirco Baldacci (Suzuki Ignis) +2m50.2s
4 Kosti Katajamaki (Suzuki Ignis) +3m39.6s
5 Larry Cols (Renault Clio) +4m20.7s
6 Nicolas Bernardi (Renault Clio) +5m56.2s
7 Kris Meeke (Opel Corsa) +13m30.8s
8 Alessandro Broccoli (Fiat Punto) +19m12.4s

1 Guy Wilks (Suzuki Ignis) 34
2 P-G Andersson (Suzuki Ignis) 31
3 Kosti Katajamaki (Suzuki Ignis) 27
Nicolas Bernardi (Renault Clio) 27
5 Mirco Baldacci (Suzuki Ignis) 17
6 Urmo Aava (Suzuki Ignis) 16
Kris Meeke (Opel Corsa) 16
Larry Cols (Renault Clio) 16

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