Ford and Suzuki have announced their leading crews for next year's WRC and there are no real surprises.

Ford of Europe will keep the WRC as its frontline Motorsport activity for 2008. The retirement from the team of Marcus Grönholm and Timo Rautiainen, who have led its campaign in superb fashion over the past two seasons, has posed quite a challenge.
However, Ford's WRC strategy has been based also on a programme to develop new, exciting talent. 

Toni Gardemeister and Per-Gunnar Andersson will be driving the all-new Suzuki SX4 WRC in 2008.

By nominating the Scandinavians (right), Suzuki brings a famous face back to the WRC tracks and enables one of its juniors to enter the world’s most demanding motor sport competition, thus following the corporation’s international motor sport strategy.

The Nordic quartet, completed by co-drivers Tomi Tuominen and Jonas Andersson, will accomplish its premiere at Rallye Monte Carlo on 24 January 2008, when Suzuki will enter its first full World Rally Championship season.

“Toni is one of the world’s best rally drivers with a wide experience on gravel, asphalt, snow and ice, but also with superb testing skills.

“And with PG, the first and only person to win the Junior Rally Championship title two times – in a Suzuki Ignis Super 1600 in 2004, this year with the Suzuki Swift Super 1600 –, we are continuing a close and very successful partnership,” said Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima, president of Suzuki Sport and principal of the Suzuki World Rally Team.

“Together with their co-drivers Tomi and Jonas they form a very strong unit, enabling us to push the car’s development and take the SX4 WRC to its next level.”