Suzuki driver P-G Andersson has won the 2004 Junior World Rally Championship after finishing second on Spain's Catalunya Rally! The Swede's title is the first world championship crown for the Suzuki Ignis, which has won five rounds of this season's Junior World Rally Championship - clearly demonstrating the car's durability and pace throughout year.
P-G kept his nerve throughout a crucial three days on Spanish asphalt to score the points he needed to clinch the top prize. P-G's prestigious title means that he follows in the footsteps of some of the current stars of the sport, such as Sebastien Loeb and Francois Duval: both of whom are Junior World Rally Championship graduates.

P-G faced stiff opposition as two other Suzuki drivers came into the event with a chance of winning the championship - as well as the Renault of Nicolas Bernardi, which eventually won in Spain. The Suzukis and the Renault had a tense battle on the Catalunya Rally, the final round of the Junior World Rally Championship, which was characterised by fast and flowing asphalt stages run under variable weather conditions.

P-G's success brings an excellent season for himself and Suzuki to a triumphant conclusion. The 23-year-old won three out of seven Junior World Championship rallies held this year, with Suzuki notching up five wins in total.

Mirco Baldacci's Suzuki finished third, with the similar Ignis of Kosti Katajamaki fifth. Jari Matti-Latvala was ninth after breaking his suspension of the final afternoon. Guy Wilks, who led the Junior World Rally Championship before Catalunya, was on course to clinch the title before dramatically retiring on this morning's opening stage when he went off on a slippery corner. The 2003-specification Ignis of Urmo Aava retired during leg two after a gearbox problem proved impossible to fix in the time allowed. The rally covered 384 competitive kilometres in total, with the start and finish based in the seaside resort of Lloret de Mar.

Our teams in action

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

Mirco, who has led most of the rallies this year, swept into the lead on the opening day, but his typical bad luck returned on the second leg, when he dropped time with a puncture and a close encounter with a wall. On the final leg he concentrated on doing the best job possible, demonstrating once more his pure speed on every surface, to finish third overall under difficult circumstances.

He said: "I guess 2004 really hasn't been my year! Catalunya was like most of the other rallies we have competed on: we have the speed to lead and win, but then something stupid happens to drop us down the order. I'd like to congratulate P-G for doing an excellent job in winning the title, and I only wish I had been able to fight with him for it. Looking on the positive side, we've all shown that the Suzuki Ignis is the car to have on the Junior World Rally Championship: it has been fantastic all year."

Suzuki Ignis number 33 - Guy Wilks (GB)/Phil Pugh (GB) Retired on leg three

The Englishman struggled with tyre choice and set-up over the opening day, but the situation got better in the drier and more consistent conditions of leg two. He started the final day in third place, which would have set him on course to win the Junior World Rally Championship. But he started the leg on slick tyres, reckoning the wet stages would dry out as the morning progressed. Unfortunately he was caught out by some standing water, and slithered helplessly into retirement.

He said: "It's more disappointing than I can say. We had everything under control and our plan was to go sensibly to make sure we stayed in a position to win the championship - which is exactly what we had been doing for the whole rally. Our information was that the weather would dry out on the final morning which is why we chose the slick tyre but it was the wrong choice. We got a few kilometres into the stage and then slid off on a corner and could not continue. In rallying you have highs and you have lows, but I'd like to congratulate P-G on becoming champion."

Suzuki Ignis number 35 - Kosti Katajamaki (FIN)/Timo Alanne (FIN) 5th after leg three

Kosti, backed by two-time World Champion Marcus Gronholm, did not have so much experience of asphalt stages before coming to Spain but he was determined to go flat-out in order to maximise his outside chance of winning the Junior World Rally Championship. He set some encouraging times on the first day, but two punctures meant that he lost two minutes on the second morning. From then on Kosti concentrated on bringing his car home safely to the finish.

He said: "My chances of winning the championship were never so big in the first place so I am not especially disappointed, although I think we had the chance to do very well without those punctures. Our car was perfectly reliable throughout the rally and we learnt a lot about driving on asphalt. I certainly felt a lot more confident as the event went on. Congratulations to P-G and everybody at Suzuki: it's been a fantastic year which was so exciting for everybody."

Suzuki Ignis number 45 - Per-Gunnar Andersson (S)/Jonas Andersson (S) 2nd after leg three (2004 Junior World Rally Champion)

P-G, who started the rally second in the title race, had to drive on the limit over all three days of the rally in order to maximise his chances of winning the title. Despite intense pressure and a comparative lack of asphalt experience, he was flawless. P-G moved into pole position for the title after Guy went off on the final morning. The championship hung in the balance right up to the final stage - as the order in which other drivers finished would affect the definitive outcome.

He said: "It's very difficult to find the right words to say. It's been an amazing three days and an emotional year for me. We've managed to win the Junior World Rally Championship and the Swedish Championship thanks to a superlative car, some good driving and an excellent team. Most of all I would like to thank everybody whose hard work made it all happen: my co-driver Jonas Andersson, the entire Monster Sport Europe team, and all my friends and family for their support. This was one of the most difficult rallies I have ever driven, but the car never missed a beat."

Monster Sport Europe team manager Risto Laine commented: "Congratulations to everybody and especially P-G and Jonas! Three years after starting the Junior World Rally Championship programme we finally win the title, having won five out of seven rallies throughout the season. It's an amazing achievement which is a testimony to all the hard work put in by every member of the team and all the drivers, who have been excellent. A key element has been the reliability of the Ignis, which coupled with its front-running speed, has made it a certain winner."

Suzuki Ignis number 43 - Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN)/Mika Anttilla (FIN) (Run by JM Engineering) 9th after leg three

Jari-Matti started his first asphalt event in an Ignis with the aim of staying out of trouble and learning more about the car. He fulfilled his mission perfectly, despite spinning into a wall on the opening morning. The damage was only cosmetic, and he continued to set some promising times while refining his asphalt driving style. He was on course to finish fourth before breaking his suspension on the final afternoon, but the Finn recovered to finish ninth.

He said: "It's been an excellent three days and I am very proud to have been driving the car that won the 2004 Junior World Rally Championship. I can certainly see why that was the case! I have learnt more about the Ignis with every kilometre I drive it, although this has been one of the most challenging rallies of the year for me. What happened on the final afternoon was disappointing, but it does not take away any of the valuable lessons learned throughout the rally."

The Junior World Rally Championship resumes with the renowned Monte Carlo Rally in late January next year and a new seven-round calendar. The series has proved itself to be the ultimate training ground for World Champions of the future and another season of hectic competition is guaranteed. Following the success of the Ignis, Suzuki will introduce the all-new Swift Super 1600 half way through the season. There are exciting times ahead!

What happened in JWRC

Suzuki's led for the majority of the opening day, characterised by changeable weather, although all the drivers felt that they had made bad tyre choices at some point. Suzuki's Mirco Baldacci held the overnight lead, but lost it with a puncture on the second morning. In drier conditions the Renaults came to the fore, and Nicolas Bernardi - the only rival to the Suzuki drivers for the championship - took the lead. Guy Wilks's third place was enough to give him the championship lead until he went off on the first stage this morning. P-G Andersson subsequently moved up to second and claimed the title.