The Suzuki Swift of Guy Wilks starts the all-asphalt Catalunya Rally, the final event of the 2005 Junior World Rally Championship season, with a chance of winning the title. He is joined on the Spanish event by his team mate P-G Andersson, as well as Suzuki Ignis entries for Kosti Katajamaki, Urmo Aava, Pavel Valousek and Martin Prokop.

Guy is currently eight points behind Citroen driver Daniel Sordo. They are the only two people who can win the title, but the Suzuki driver will need luck on his side. In order to claim the championship, Guy has to win the rally with Sordo finishing lower than seventh. The Citroen C2 is extremely strong on asphalt and Sordo is competing on home territory, so Guy has his work cut out.

This year's Catalunya Rally is very different to previous editions of the event, as the route is based further south, near Tarragona, and all the stages are new. The roads are fast, open and flowing but uncertain weather could provide an unexpected twist.

These are the fastest asphalt roads in the championship, and the drivers sampled them for the first time in anger at the shakedown this morning: a final opportunity to check the car over and finalise the set-up. None of the Suzuki drivers reported any dramas, but Sordo's Citroen had an engine problem that needed last-minute work. The ceremonial start took place in the evening at the seaside resort of Salou, where the rally is based.

Guy Wilks commented: "The championship is out of my hands now. All I can do is go all-out in order to try and win the event. I like these roads and we had a very good pre-event test. The Swift has never felt better on asphalt, and I am just going to go for it. Victory is definitely the aim, but I will be very surprised if I win the championship!"

P-G Andersson, the reigning Junior World Rally Champion, said: "It hurts a lot to lose my title! But a lot of that is down to mistakes I have made, and that is just a part of rallying. I suppose it takes the pressure off me: I do not have anything to worry about apart from doing my best. I think we have a car now that is capable of really fighting with the Citroens on asphalt."

Both Suzuki Sport Europe drivers, Kosti Katajamaki and Urmo Aava, are also looking forward to tomorrow's stages. Kosti commented: "I finished on the podium at the last rally in Corsica and although I'm not an asphalt expert I hope to do the same again in Spain." Urmo added: "I know that the Citroens and Swifts will be very fast. I do not expect to beat them, but if we can be close behind I will be happy."

Pavel Valousek, in an Ignis run by JM Engineering, avoided a repeat of the accident that ruined his shakedown in Corsica. The Czech commented: "The car feels very strong, but I've still got a lot to learn about driving on asphalt. You need to be very precise here." Czech youngster Martin Prokop aims just to get to the finish in order to increase his scarce experience of the car and the event.

Suzuki Sport President Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima commented: "The fact that Guy is still in contention for the title on the final round proves just how competitive our Swift has been in its first season. So far it has finished on the podium on every rally it has entered: we hope to maintain this record in Spain. The odds are stacked against Guy winning the title but anything can happen: just look at the problem for Sordo this morning. Apart from that, we look forward to a very good performance from all the other Suzuki drivers as well."

The action in Spain starts on Friday morning at 08:28 (CET), with the first of 15 special stages. The finish takes place on Sunday at 13:29 (CET) back in Salou.