Suzuki to run third car in New Zealand?
The organisers of the Rally New Zealand have r🌄evealed that the Suzuki World Rally Team is considering entering a third SX4 WRC car on the Hamilton-based event.
Although entries for the eleventh round i♍n the World Rally Championship don't close until July 23, a month before the rally, the organisers believe Kiwi rally fans will see one of the largest fields of WRC cars in some years.
"New to the WRC this year, Suzuki has confirmed SX4 WRC entries for T🔯oni Gardemeister and PG Andersson, with talk of a third," noted chairman of the organising committee Chris Carr.
The organisers of the Rally New Zealand have revealed that the Suzuki Wor🉐ld Rally Team is considering entering a third SX4 WRC car on the Hamilton-b▨ased event.
Although entries for the eleventh round in the World Rally Championship don't close until July 23, a ♛month before the rally, the organisers believe Kiwi rally fans will see one of the largest fieldsไ of WRC cars in some years.
"New to the WRC this year, Suzuki has confirmed SX4 WRC entries for Toni Gardemeister and PG Andersson, with talk of a third," noted chairman of the organising comm🌸ittee Chris Carr.
"Citroen meanwhile confirmed entries for their top drivers Sebastien Loeb and Dani Sordo some time ago. The pair will be joined b𒅌y Zimbabwean Conrad Rautenbach and now a fourth Citroen for Urmo Aava is coming.
"Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala are entered for the BP Ford team, while the Stobart and Munchi's Ford teams haveꦰ another five drivers such as Gigi Galli, 🐽Henning Solberg and Matthew Wilson.
"New Zealand ralꦯly fans can see Subaru's new Impreza WRC2008 car in action for the first time too as ✃Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson strive for improved performances."
Running behind the WRC cars will be the Production Car World Rally Cham🅺pionship ꦛcompetitors in Group N, or essentially standard production cars. 22 PWRC entries have been confirmed including defending PWRC champion Toshi Arai in a new Subaru partnered by Glenn Macneall, who replaces Kiwi Tony Sircombe.
"Also confirmed is flying Finn Juho Hanninen in the Ralliart New Zealand-run Mitsubishi, the Peugeo🔥t Sport Sweden Team who will be bringing the first Super 2000 car we've seen here, and a number of other teams running Mitsubishi Evoꦕ Xs," Carr added.
"Seeded🍬 in the PWRC field will be two Kiwis - Chris West and Hayden Paddon - who have won this year's Repco Rally New Zealand scholarship for free entry into this class [see separate ♈story].
"Their stage times will still count towards NZRC points, but they have an opportunity to showc🐈ase their skills to talent scouts by running more closely against PWRC 🧸competitors in identical Group N vehicles."
