Suzuki GB makes its first ever official entry into British motorsport by entering a new team in the 2004 Kwik-Fit/Pirelli British Rally Championship.
Britain's fastest-rising rallying star Guy Wilks (Darlington, County Durham) leads the newly-formed Dealer Team Suzuki driving a five-door Suzuki Ignis in the BRC's Super 1600 category.
The 23-year old, who is already contesting the prestigious Junior World Rally Championship in a 1.6-litre Suzuki Ignis Super 1600, will drive an identical specification car with Welsh co-driver Phil Pugh (Tywyn, Gwynedd) on seven of the eight BRC rounds this season. Wilks and Pugh will miss October's Trackrod Rally Yorkshire due to their JWRC commitments in Italy but the team expects to field a replacement driver for this event.
Commenting on Suzuki's British Rally Championship debut, Suzuki GB's Director of Sales and Marketing David Seward said: "Dealer Team Suzuki will represent our 150 dealers across the country and we're confident that in Guy Wilks we have the very best home-grown rallying star since world champions Colin McRae and Richard Burns.
"Terrestrial TV coverage on Channel 4 is a major bonus for the British Rally Championship and we're certain the status of the BRC is on an upward curve once again.
"Suzuki GB is delighted to be a key player in the 2004 championship and we're sure we stand an excellent chance of winning the Super 1600 title."
Noted as the hottest prospect to emerge from the British rallying scene in recent years, much is expected of Wilks who is tipped to become the next major rally star from the UK.
With Dealer Team Suzuki he'll compete against other two-wheel drive cars from a number of other manufacturers including MG, Ford, Citroen, Fiat and Vauxhall in his home series.
"Suzuki's engineers have worked hard to make the Ignis a really strong all rounder and it is now probably the best car in Super 1600. The Ignis suits my driving style and I'm certain it will be reliable and a real force to be reckoned with in the BRC," commented Wilks. "It's a major bonus for me to contest the British championship as it will bring much needed additional time behind the wheel and, therefore, helps my JWRC challenge."
Wilks will be aiming to improve on the third place he took in the British Rally Championship's Super 1600 category in 2002. Last year he made headlines by leading the Pirelli International round overall on leg one ahead of more powerful turbo-charged, four-wheel drive opposition.
KWIK-FIT/PIRELLI BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP 2004Date Event20/21 March BRC Live 2004 (single venue spectator event)23/24 April Pirelli International Rally15/16 May International Rally of Wales11/12 June RSAC Scottish Rally2/3 July Jim Clark Memorial Rally29/30/31 July Manx International Rally3/4 September AnswerCall Direct Ulster Rally2/3 October Trackrod Rally Yorkshire6/7 November Tempest South of England Rally
DRIVER PROFILE - GUY WILKSFrom: Darlington, County DurhamLives: Bishop Auckland
Date of Birth: 22 January 1981
Career History:2000 Junior Champion - Ford Ka Rally Championship; Roger Clark Award finalist.2001 Vice-Champion - Ford Puma 1400 Rally Championship.2002 Third Overall - British Rally Championship Super 1600 (Ford Puma); contested two JWRC rounds, Rallye Deutschland (DNF) and Rally GB (7th).2003 Seventh Overall - Junior World Rally Championship (Ford Puma).2004 JWRC and BRC with Suzuki Ignis Super 1600.
CO-DRIVER PROFILE - PHIL PUGHFrom: Gwynedd, WalesLives: Tywyn, Gwynedd, Wales
Date of Birth: 27 August 1970
Occupation: Runs own Electrical Contracting Business
Career History:1987 Co-driving debut at club level before taking hobby more seriously during mid-nineties.1999 First outing in the British Rally Championship co-driving a Group N Vauxhall Astra.2000 Continued in the BRC, this time in a Group N Subaru Impreza.2002 After a year away from the BRC he returned to co-drive a Renault Clio Super 1600.2003 Debut event with Guy Wilks was at the start of the year before the pair undertook a full season of Junior World Rally Championship competition in a Ford Puma, finishing seventh overall.2004 JWRC and BRC with Suzuki Ignis Super 1600.
