Rally d’Italia-Sardegna - Shakedown & Ceremonial Start The Rally d’Italia-Sardegna is the first European gravel rally of the year and Suzuki’s third event of the season. Junior World Rally Championship leader P-G Andersson and his team mate Guy Wilks, winner of the last round in Argentina, both took part in the Rally d’Italia’s ceremonial start this evening in Porto Cervo.

The Sardinian coastal resort is usually famous for its glamorous hotels and designer boutiques, but this evening the rally cars that took centre stage. All 80 competing crews crossed the ramp in front of thousands of spectators, in a picturesque location on the harbour side. Anticipation was high, but the real action only starts at 0846 tomorrow as the cars tackle the first of 18 gravel special stages. With twisty and technical mountain roads combined with high temperatures, the Rally d’Italia promises a formidable challenge for both man and machine.

News from P–G:

P-G Andersson (1st in JWRC points table): “I’m looking forward to this event: I love gravel rallies and I have fond memories of winning here two years ago. This year my objective is to repeat this success, but as I am in a good position in the championship there’s no need to go crazy. More than half the stages are new compared to last year, so it’s a level playing field for everybody and it should be a big challenge. I’m feeling confident: the car is certainly very good, so now it’s down to the driver!”

News from Guy:

Guy Wilks (6th in JWRC): “The organisers have done a fantastic job on this rally: they’ve come up with a really interesting route and some very good stages. The surfaces consist mainly of very loose gravel with some fine and sandy stones on the top, which will make the first stage quite slippery. However, I think the roads should clean up considerably, so we will see a fast line emerging when the stages are repeated. My win in Argentina boosted my confidence, so I’m aiming for more of the same here.”

News from Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima, Team Principal:

“I think that Italy will present an even bigger challenge for our team than Argentina, as the roads here are quite technical, temperatures will be hot, and there is some very strong opposition. The victory in Argentina proved the speed and reliability of the Suzuki Swift, and we want to back that up with another strong performance. The first win on gravel in Europe would be a very important milestone for us, and I have every faith in P-G and Guy to drive to the best of their abilities. Good luck to everyone!”