JWRC: Big learning curve for Suzuki.

Suzuki will continue its WRC learning programme this weekend as the all-new Swift Super 1600 competes on Rally Japan for the first time.

Although it is not part of the Junior World Rally Championship, Suzuki is entering two cars for P-G Andersson and Guy Wilks in class A6 with both drivers hoping to build on a encouraging start to live with the new car which has seen it take a podium finish in each of the past three events and saw Andersson secure a first class win last time out in Wales.

However the reigning Junior World Champion will be keen to avoid a repeat of his performance in Japan last season, when he was forced to retire after his car slipped off the jack while he was changing a puncture and ended up in a ditch.

"That was not good: I'm hoping that it will be slightly better this time!" he said. "At least I got some good experience of the roads last year, and I'm hoping to use it properly this time. I think the Swift should be quite well-suited to this rally, and we always get a lot of enthusiastic local support. We don't know what the weather is going to do, so as in every rally we will have to hope for a little bit of luck as well!"

As the home event for Suzuki, Rally Japan will take on added importance this weekend, but team manager Risto Laine admitted that the aim would remain the same as it has throughout a season which has seen Suzuki taking part on every event this year - to collect data which will help the team in the future.

"Japan is an important rally for us, but it will also be the first time that we have run the Swift on these stages, so there will be a big learning curve," he said. "We need to push as hard as we can, but we also need to take the opportunity to collect as much data about the event as possible. It's impossible to say what might happen, but that is the appeal of rallying!"