GUY Wilks has been offered a new deal to remain with Suzuki after he led the team to the brink of the Junior World Rally Championship.

For the second year in a row the Darlington rally driver was pipped at the post as he sought to lift the title for the best up-and-coming drivers in the world.

Wilks is widely tipped to be a future world champion and there will no doubt be others seeking his signature, including outfits in the elite World Rally Championship.

Wilks has made no secret of the fact that he wants to compete at the highest level.

But he has struck up a fine working relationship with the Japanese manufacturer and it would be no surprise if he opted to rein in his ambitions a little longer and attempt to make it third time lucky on the JWRC front.

Wilks and co-driver Phil Pugh made an almost seamless transition between Suzuki's Ignis and Swift cars when the latter was introduced part way through the recently completed season.

The switch was so successful that the destiny of the title wasn't decided until the last round of the year in Spain, when Citroen's Daniel Sordo claimed the championship at the Briton's expense.

"Last year we finished third, this year we finished second and I was the highest Suzuki driver in the championship," said Wilks yesterday. "Obviously, we have a good working relationship, although we didn't quite fulfil our aim of winning the championship. But at the same time they know there was no lack of commitment from my end."

As well as demanding of himself that he wins the title next season, Wilks has also set himself an even stiffer challenge should he stay with Suzuki.

"Next year, going with what we know now, I think we stand a hell of a chance of not only fighting to win the championship, but fighting to win every rally on every surface," he said.

As good as Wilks is he knows that without his Welsh co-driver Pugh scaling such heights would be an ever tougher task.

"We both understand how we work in terms of what annoys us and what makes us tick and are able to get the best out of each other," he said.

"Despite the difference in our ages (Wilks is 23, Pugh 35) we get on well in and out of the car. This year I have spent more time with Phil than his wife has. I was with him for 200 days and that shows how intense the relationship is.

"Not a lot of people see that. When you're married your wife will do things that annoy you from time to time. That happens with Phil and I but we seem able to dispel them really quickly.

"Our relationship is the most important aspect of all. You could talk about it for ages. It doesn't matter which car you put us in we will work together. We have to."

* Chris Atkinson has been handed a one-year contract to compete with Subaru in the world rally championship in 2006.

The Australian youngster enjoyed a successful rookie season this year, which included leading his home event and taking his maiden podium with third place in Japan.

His reward is a new deal to compete alongside former world champion Petter Solberg next year.

Atkinson, 25, said: ''It's fantastic to have the opportunity to stay with Subaru and I'm looking forward to showing, once more, the speed and the results we've demonstrated in the last part of this year.''

Published: 22/11/2005