Guy Wilks (10th in JWRC after SS17)
"After some problems yesterday we re-started today and everything was actually going OK until the last stage, although we needed a miracle to stand any chance of winning the title. On the final stage we caught up with another competitor. I don't think he could see us, so we hit him a few times as we were trying to get past. Unfortunately this damaged the radiator, but we just about managed to get back to the service park. This rally has been unlucky for us, but at least we come away with the knowledge that both me and the car were competitive enough to claim the title - it was only bad luck that stopped us from doing it."

P-G Andersson (Retired, SS15):
"If we wanted to stand any chance of winning the championship we needed to push really hard today. Conditions were really slippery, and on SS15 I was caught out under braking for a downhill right-hand corner, where there was no grip at all. We tried to get round it, but we ended up going off backwards down a small ravine into a river. It was clear straight away that it would be too difficult for us to drive out, so it was all over. At least we tried!"

Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima, team principal:
"I have been in motor sport for 38 years, but I can honestly say that I have never seen a day or an event like this! The lead changed so many times that it was really hard to keep up. And in the end, we have the championship-winning car take the title on the back of a tow-truck, which is bizarre...
I would like to congratulate Jan Molder on his well-deserved first victory, and Patrick Sandell on winning the championship after a very good year for him. The positive thing is that we had four Suzuki drivers in contention for the title, but in the end it was not to be. These things happen in rallying sometimes. I would like to thank Guy and P-G for their excellent work throughout the season, and now we look forward to another exciting year for Suzuki in 2007"

5

Patrick Sandell (Renault Clio)

8