GUY Wilks will be thrust into the world rally spotlight next season after Suzuki announced their entry on to the big stage.

The 23-year-old Darlington driver, British rallying's brightest hope, drove for the Japanese team in both the Junior World Rally Championship and the British Championship last season.

Wilks, who took the British junior championship and British Super 1600 title, was a serious contender for last JWRC crown, before losing out to team-mate Per Gunnar Andersson on the last round.

The pair will lead Suzuki's challenge again next season, competing for junior honours but taking in a further nine world rallies. Drivers can score in only seven of the eight JWRC rounds and both Wilks and Andersson will nominate France as the round they miss.

Their cars will again be run by the Milton Keynes-based Monster Sport Europe team. The team will begin with the five-door Ignis which served Wilks, currently in Japan, so well last season but midway through the calendar it will be replaced by the new Swift Super 1600 car.

Suzuki will use the 2005 World Rally Championship to gain more experience with a view to a full-blown participation at a later date.

Wilks, who is understood to have been courted by several other teams, will again use the knowledge and expertise of co-driver Phil Pugh.

l Durham racer Chris Dent, 19, has been told he has a seat with Formula Renault UK title holders Fortec - as long as he can secure sponsorship. He guaranteed himself a place in the team which won both last year's championship and the recent winter series with a confident test session at Donington. Sponsors have until the end of the year to confirm their support.

Chris's manager and father John Dent said: "The championship is the most prestigious single seater series for amateur racers and means a professional career in motorsport is tantalisingly close for Chris.

"This is an exciting chance for partners who want to be involved at the start of his career and to get national exposure."

Driver and car appearances, race hospitality and branding on the 192bhp car and race clothing are some of the opportunities on offer to sponsors.

As a support series of the British Touring Car Championship, ITV coverage of the 2004 Formula Renault championship attracted a record seven million viewers, up three million on the previous year.

After three successful seasons in karting, Chris competed in Formula Zip last year. The former Durham Johnston School pupil has spent 2004 testing in Formula Renault and competing in the winter series.

McLaren-Mercedes star Kimi Raikkonen was Formula Renault Champion in 2000 and moved to Formula 1 the following year.

Corporate sponsors interested in becoming a partner of Chris Dent Racing should contact John Dent on 07720 548 406.

* Croft's round of the British Touring Car Championship next year has been moved one week to avoid a clash with the newly-saved British Grand Prix.

The switch is from July 9-10 to July 16-17.

Published: 14/12/2004