GUY Wilks believes Suzuki's new Swift Super 1600 has what it takes to maintain his assault on the Junior World Rally Championship leaderboard.

The all-new Swift, which is scheduled to make its world debut on the Rally Finland in August, completed more than 300 trouble-free kilometres during a two-day test last week in Wales.

Both Wilks and Suzuki team-mate P-G Andersson drove for one day each during the test, which was aimed at refining the specification of the Swift and ensuring complete reliability before the car is homologated next month.

The test took place in Corwen, north Wales, using the type of rough gravel roads that are often found on the World Rally Championship.

The Swift showed itself to be entirely reliable despite the punishing test programme, with only a minor power steering problem after 300 gruelling kilometres.

The test road contained a wide variety of speeds and road conditions, and the drivers are now quietly confident the Swift will be capable of winning on its debut.

The Swift test car in Wales was in largely the definitive specification that will be homologated next month.

Darlington's Wilks, currently tied on points with Andersson for second place in the championship said: "It was a very satisfactory test and we're certainly on the right track.

"The car feels quite different from the current Ignis, so there is a lot to get used to, but it is undoubtedly a quick and reliable package.

"In its definitive specification, the Swift felt quite similar to when I drove it first - which is good news as it means that fundamentally the design was right from the start."

The Swift will be testing next on asphalt in the south of France during the first week of July.

In the meantime, the Suzuki squad tackle the next round of the JWRC, the Acropolis Rally, from June 24-26.

*British Superbike rider Dennis Hobbs has been given the green light to resume racing after recovering from a broken wrist.

The Guisborough rider, a member of Team Nvidia Yamaha, missed both races at his local circuit when the Bennetts British Superbike Championship came to Croft earlier this month.

However, he has now had the plaster cast removed from his arm and has been able to take part in this week's BSB test sessions at Pembrey before making his racing return at Knockhill on June 26.

*Francois Duval will return as Citroen's second official driver on next month's Rally Argentina.

The Belgian was dropped by the French outfit for the last round of the World Rally Championship in Turkey and the forthcoming Acropolis Rally with former world champion Carlos Sainz coming out of retirement to take his seat.

Duval lost his drive at Citroen for the two events after a poor start to the season, which has seen him claim just five points, and after a split with co-driver Stephane Prevot on the Cyprus Rally.

But team boss Guy Frequelin has restored his faith in the 24-year-old, who will be co-driven by experienced compatriot Sven Smeets when he returns to team up with Sebastien Loeb in Argentina.

''It's important to put Francois back behind the wheel as I believe he is a young driver with good potential," said Frequelin.

''His comeback should be a chance for him to rise successfully to the missions he has been given: to bring his car to the finish and score manufacturers points.

"It's the target I set him, that he accepted.

"I am confident he will achieve it.''

Published: ??/??/2004