No Suzuki in 2009 WRC

[MJW]

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.therallysite.com%2Fjoomla%2Find ex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3 D5299%26Itemid%3D1&sl=nl&tl=en

[Woodeye]

Bugger. :(

Hopefully they are back in 2010. Wonder what Toni will do next year?

[badterminal]

Shame about that, after such a better 2nd half of the season.

[Helstar]

Pity :( they were clearly improving (reliability in spite of all).

Now PG is without a car again :'

[RS]

Only 3 teams in 2009 then :(

Maybe Wilson and Rautenbach will be able to "improve" next year afterall :D

[janvanvurpa]

Bugger. :(

Hopefully they are back in 2010. Wonder what Toni will do next year?

Go faster in his F-cup BMW, and have more fun, too!

[A.F.F.]

I'm not sorry at all. Very wise decision. Hopefully they turn that failure to victory when/if they come back with S2000+

[Rally_Rocks]

I'm not sorry at all. Very wise decision. Hopefully they turn that failure to victory when/if they come back with S2000+

From what I understand there are no plans in place to develop a S2000 car in the near future. It could easily be 2012 until we see a top level return for Suzuki.

[Sulland]

They do a Skoda, and will be back in 2010, having used all their knowledge and data gathered in the two years in WRC.

In the circumstances I think it was a wise move.

Welcome back in 2010 !

[dyfi1]

I shall miss the Tomi Tuominen `behind the scenes` video clips of each wrc event he and Toni visited..... they were compulsive viewing for me!

[Tomi]

I shall miss the Tomi Tuominen `behind the scenes` video clips of each wrc event he and Toni visited..... they were compulsive viewing for me!

Yes thats true, but i think they might solve it out some way, so we still get "behind the scene stuff"

[WRCfan]

Was a promising end to their season. Shows the car and the team were heading in the right direction. Seriously hope they do come back in the near future. Was nice to have another marque in the championship and was great to see Toni in action again, as well as seeing what PG was capable of!

[Barreis]

If that was promising what about Citroen and Peugeot starts...

[jonas_mcrae]

what about the cars? selling them? perhaps do a Skoda-RedBull operation?

[WRCfan]

If that was promising what about Citroen and Peugeot starts...

I meant compared to their difficulties earlier in the season they finished the season with a vastly different car....

Peugeot with their 307? Broken gearboxes and one very disgruntled driver until the final event they ended? Yeah their car was great!

[Tomi]

I think the biggest problem in this project was that the guy who was supposed to be in charge took the money and run.

[Livewireshock]

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/12/suzuki-announces-new-coo.html

Things have not been good at Suzuki for a while and this news would point towards the company contracting it's activities.

[urabus-denoS2000]

what about the cars? selling them? perhaps do a Skoda-RedBull operation?

That will be the least of their problems,there are very few cars

[Barreis]

I meant compared to their difficulties earlier in the season they finished the season with a vastly different car....

Peugeot with their 307? Broken gearboxes and one very disgruntled driver until the final event they ended? Yeah their car was great!
I thought about 206 WRC and Xsara WRC... No disgruntled drivers 'cos they didn't have to say until the end of season. If I was Mr.Provera, Mr Gronholm should pay penals for bad language about company and brand.

[Lalo]

Too bad Suzu won't be seen next year, but if it's in order to develope their S2000 car and make a comeback in 2010, then it would be a wise decision.

It's feels sad for Toni and P-G, as they gave a big display of talent for a brand new car on it's first year in the Championship.

[Magnus]

Poor PG. i recon that if there had not been a swede in the team they would have continued. swedish rally drivers are jinxed by some reason, or just plain stupid (Carlsson, Flodin)

[Tomi]

Poor PG. i recon that if there had not been a swede in the team they would have continued. swedish rally drivers are jinxed by some reason, or just plain stupid (Carlsson, Flodin)

I would not be so worried about PG's future, when the kitcars comes they need drivers from somewhere and he is propably near the top of the list.
Garde has again been perhaps the most unlucky driver ever, he allways ended up in crap teams.

P.S. Anything new about Flodin?

[jonas_mcrae]

how many cars did they build? at least what, 4? couldn't there be a private suzuki team?

[Helstar]

Garde has again been perhaps the most unlucky driver ever, he allways ended up in crap teams.

Also in 2005 ?
He is not (and will never be) the best. Good driver, consistent, but not a winner.

[Koppomsbo]

Says a lot of the Suzuki "way of life" as they still havnt called PG and told him anything??

[Tomi]

Also in 2005 ?
He is not (and will never be) the best. Good driver, consistent, but not a winner.

No, i agree with that 2005 was not so bad 3 second places and 1 third. What I mean is that his best years did go in drain, because of crap teams, Seat and Skoda.

[OldF]

I remember someone saying on this forum that the Suzuki WRC was built taking into account the S2000 rules.

[jparker]

I remember someone saying on this forum that the Suzuki WRC was built taking into account the S2000 rules.
I guess that was me :(

[c4]

Suzuki confirm withdrawal
http://www.rallybuzz.com/suzuki-pull-out-wrc/

[GigiGalliNo1]

I miss Suzuki already

:(

:p

[jonkka]

The official press release doesn't leave much hope for re-entry in later date, I think Suzuki is gone for good.
http://www.globalsuzuki.com/globalnews/2008/1215.html

[AndyRAC]

The official press release doesn't leave much hope for re-entry in later date, I think Suzuki is gone for good.
http://www.globalsuzuki.com/globalnews/2008/1215.html

Shame, but when will teams learn - you can't turn up half hearted. It must be fully committed - with a budget to test, develop, etc If not, you may as well not bother. I'm sure there were hard working people involved, but it never really got going, did it?

[RS]

No, i agree with that 2005 was not so bad 3 second places and 1 third.

You would make an excellent politician Tomi :D

[Tomi]

You would make an excellent politician Tomi :D

Maybe, but thats the last thing i would want to be.

[jparker]

Shame, but when will teams learn - you can't turn up half hearted. It must be fully committed - with a budget to test, develop, etc If not, you may as well not bother. I'm sure there were hard working people involved, but it never really got going, did it?

You can't blame them, with all car rules up for change, they had no idea what car to build. For me it's one of the following (or something in between):

1. They were hoping for something that didn't happen.
2. Somebody in Suzuki decided to go WRC in the worst possible moment, and of course it didn't work. So, the big boss said no more.

[Wim]

makes no sense to come in WRC with half a budget like they did..

[Simmi]

You can't blame them, with all car rules up for change, they had no idea what car to build. For me it's one of the following (or something in between):

1. They were hoping for something that didn't happen.
2. Somebody in Suzuki decided to go WRC in the worst possible moment, and of course it didn't work. So, the big boss said no more.

I said as did many others when they first commited to making a WRC car that it was a stupid move. Obviously the economic climate wasnt an issue back then, but the rule change was bound to come and this was always going to bite Suzuki.

It was true that it did appear half-hearted but why blow your wad trying to compete with the big boys when realistically, by the time you have developed your car enough, the rules have changed and it is obsolete.

It seems like it has been a difficult season with Nandan leaving, Monster leaving and all the factory re-location and what not. They will not be back in 2010 as this isn't a performance decision, it is about putting money into other areas of the company.

I dont think this is the last we have seen of Suzuki though - I think the new regs will suit them more.

[WRCfan]

I thought about 206 WRC and Xsara WRC... No disgruntled drivers 'cos they didn't have to say until the end of season. If I was Mr.Provera, Mr Gronholm should pay penals for bad language about company and brand.

It was a sarcastic response, misread just like you seemed to do with my post.

In my opinion Marcus was alright to bad mouth the car, it was a dog, no point in hiding that. He is out there to do a job - win. With the constant issues not being able to be fixed by Pug it isn't like Marcus didn't give them a fair chance and enough time to sort it....

[anthonyvop]

It is official.

Suzuki to suspend the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) activities

Suzuki Motor Corporation has decided to suspend the FIA World Rally
Championship activities from 2009. The company made the 2008 season entry
with two SX4 WRCs.

In responding to the contraction of the automotive sales caused by recent
global economic turmoil, Suzuki has been promptly taking possible
countermeasures including the reassessment of its global production output.
The company, however, foresees the shrinking trend in longer periods of time
rather than a short-term phenomenon. To secure its own business environment
for tomorrow, the organization reviews every aspect of the operations and
decided to focus on the core business functions such as the manufacturing
system, environment technologies, and development of new-generation
powertrains. As a result, Suzuki concluded to suspend the WRC activities
from 2009.

Suzuki started to participate in the Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC)
in 2002 with Ignis Super 1600 and achieved the driver's victories two times
in the history. Afterwards, the company moved up to the WRC field in 2008.
The entry to JWRC and WRC brought a great deal of positive effects on the
product development and marketing activities, nurturing the high sporty
automotive brand image, especially in Europe.

Suzuki will continue to support the customers who are participating in the
JWRC, and local motor sport such as Swift Cup with Swift Super 1600 machines
in Europe and the rest of the world.

Suzuki expresses its great appreciation to sponsors and fans around the
world for their strong support to its activities. The company will continue
to provide valued products for its customers by utilizing the experiences
earned through the JWRC and WRC activities.

[Nenukknak]

Ah wel, I won't miss 'm. Didn't even know they were there. Who's next?

[jacko]

Shame, but when will teams learn - you can't turn up half hearted. It must be fully committed - with a budget to test, develop, etc If not, you may as well not bother. I'm sure there were hard working people involved, but it never really got going, did it?


right said, they took a (with respect) average driver Lindholm to drive the car for 1 round in 2007, for me that was the first sign of weakness.
The drivers for the 2008 season were okay for the first year. PG as the hungry unexperience driver and Gardemeister for his experience.
But Toni Gardemeister never impressed in the past, maybe 2 or 3 rallies he was excellent and you can ask the question if he's good enough to make a car a bit faster...
His days are over in WRC, let's bring some news form Finnland.
PG has showing he's got the speed, so he will get a drive again sooner or later.
Suzuki can be put in the same sheet like Skoda, Hyundai and Seat.
Good to have in WRC but never good enough to make the challenge to the top.

[Roy]

This is a Japanese (Far East) way to say: We are not good enough. That will be a big drama in these countries. It is a big shame for them. So tSuzuki say it on these way. Same as Honda. They need a excuses (financial crisis) to leave.

Off course its nothing to do with that crisis. Its for many an excuse for doing things. In some other countries companies fired people, they have a excuses now.

I want not to say the finacial crisis doesn't exist, but you have to look what is crisis and what not.

[Motorsportfun]

An internal Suzuki source told exclusively to Racingworld.it: "There are no further plans, neither regarding a private team nor regarding a return in 2010 WRC"

http://www.racingworld.it/rally/notizia.php?idtitolo=5350&url=wrc-suzuki-nessun-piano-per-team-privato-nel-2009


So, for the moment, the door is closed. Exactly like Brackley's Honda HQ! :(

[A.F.F.]

Well, sayonara. You won't be missed. Just like Nissan.

[Woodeye]

I want not to say the finacial crisis doesn't exist, but you have to look what is crisis and what not.

I think that you guys here don't see the big picture. The crises is real and people are getting fired from companies all over the world.

I situation like this the companies will focus only on their core business and sponsoring to sports is not business to car manufacturers. Their core business is to make and sell cars.

I'm sure Suzuki and Honda are just the first ones to quit. In WRC we have Ford, Subaru and Citroen, in F1 Ferrari, BMW, MB, Renault and Toyota. I can guarentee that all of these are not in the game next year.

[DonJippo]

you can ask the question if he's good enough to make a car a bit faster...

Well it's hard to make a car any faster if you have only 1 test day during the year and no development at all.

[cut the b.s.]

I think that you guys here don't see the big picture. The crises is real and people are getting fired from companies all over the world.

I situation like this the companies will focus only on their core business and sponsoring to sports is not business to car manufacturers. Their core business is to make and sell cars.

I'm sure Suzuki and Honda are just the first ones to quit. In WRC we have Ford, Subaru and Citroen, in F1 Ferrari, BMW, MB, Renault and Toyota. I can guarentee that all of these are not in the game next year.


I agree with your point here, but I also think F1 and WRC are having image problems, neither are terribly 'green', and neither am I, but the tree huggers have a very big following and right now our sport is not what a lot of brands want to be associated with

[Tomi]

makes no sense to come in WRC with half a budget like they did..

How big was their budget?

[Glee]

Norwegain TV NRK does also report the rumors from Finnish MTV3.

They however also states that: "Petter Solberg", who Sunday broke his arm during a promotional mission in the Italian Bologna, will not comment on the information from the Finnish TV-channel further".

Broke his arm?

[MJW]

Well, sayonara. You won't be missed. Just like Nissan.
The real problem with these teams withdrawing is the sad fact that there are 'normal guys' - the ones with families to feed and mortgages to pay are losing their jobs.

[Tomi]

The real problem with these teams withdrawing is the sad fact that there are 'normal guys' - the ones with families to feed and mortgages to pay are losing their jobs.

Thats offcourse true and sad.

[Cloverleaf]

Norwegain TV NRK does also report the rumors from Finnish MTV3.

They however also states that: "Petter Solberg", who Sunday broke his arm during a promotional mission in the Italian Bologna, will not comment on the information from the Finnish TV-channel further".

Broke his arm?
Petter with broken arm! What next? :(

[A.F.F.]

The real problem with these teams withdrawing is the sad fact that there are 'normal guys' - the ones with families to feed and mortgages to pay are losing their jobs.

That is a bummer yes.

[Tomi]

Go faster in his F-cup BMW, and have more fun, too!

Thats true, how did you know?

[janvanvurpa]

Originally Posted by janvanvurpa View Post
Go faster in his F-cup BMW, and have more fun, too!



Thats true, how did you know?

I have been following GroupF for years and trying to spread the word about it as THE MODEL of what other countries should be trying to build up as the foundation of National Rallysport. I have posted countless links, references, photos, links to forums here in USA with photos like this: http://www.samililjedahl.com/kuvat/2008/Vetomies08A%20814196_net_0973.jpg

This strong belief in the miraculous healing powers of good hard fights in deep deep start fields contrast strongly with the contempt and disgust at the more common North American "fan-boy" belief that having a few rich guys buy rides and then no matter what they do, you promote it endlessly calling it "AMAZING" and the drivers "phenomenons" and "SUPERSTARS!!!!!!!" as we see endlessly on US forums.

Now I know what hard fights and what speed looks like, I have been fast myself and when I get answers like "I'm a very competitive person, therefore..." (blah ha blah ha but essentially "therefore I go out and buy the baddest spec cars available") and there's no way I could fight for victory in some old Volvo (or Toyota or whatever) and have made a point to dig up the WRC results of thefew North Americans who have dared enter a few WRC events, then see the gap to any Finns in PWRC or GpN4, then try and compare how THOSE GpN guys have done on events at home when there are F-cup cars.
When we see there's barely any significant difference between some of the N4 boys and some of the F-cup I provide links or suggest folks dig and see that well built, well driven F-cup cars are SIGNIFICANTLY faster than the absolute top US and Canadian drivers.
So...

One little sarcastic comment in the thread right here about Sordo doing the Finnish event as a warm up to VM and Gardemeister being there in the nice BMW and one of you wise-guys posted links to the event and stage times and well there it is in black and white Toni about 1,4 sek/km off Sordos time.
Can't remember who it was that said "He ought to put the Suzuki stickers on the F-cup car because he's closer to Sordo's time with the Bee Em."

You should have seen the huge creative excuses a co-driver for one of the "Top" US drivers came up with why Garde might be so close. What he said in short was Sordo was probably just cruising real easy and Gardemeister was probably going 110%" blah blah.
Whatever!!!!
Still doesn't explain why he and his driver finish 45-55 minutes behind the top GpN guys in those few PWRC events they've done.

And that 45-55minutes behind the top GpN guys means 1 hour plus to Gardemeister in the Suzuki, and he can go just as fast in the BMW meaning there are Finns in rwd cars who would beat them by more than an hour in a typical VW length rally..

Some "Superstars" ! Quite "phenomenal".

I say the F in F-cup stands for "Future" and stands for FUN!

[Koppomsbo]

many good words

agree :up:

[Allar]

Someone know what suzuki did with those cars after quiting wrc?
they had atleast 6 cars. Just keeping them in garage or they sell some cars too?

[Mirek]

One is owned by Sean Gill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljO5dXpCy5A&feature=player_embedded

[koko0703]

Monster Tajima recently had demo run in SX4 in Tokyo, Japan, so I assume Suzuki factory has at least one car in their garage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qiAkL0oWD8

[Allar]

Ok Thanks guys. :s pin: