Note: Automatic translation
- The Suzuki Challenge trophy, in which the competitive and adventurous spirit of the House of Hamamatsu finds expression, reaches its 23rd edition and is renewed by adopting a brand new formula
- This year, competitors will be able to take part in the championship with any off-road Suzuki in the T1, National T1, T2 and TH versions.
- The Suzuki Challenge will take place over six races, the same as the Italian Cross Country Rally Championship 2022, and will offer a rich prize pool.
- After a long sequence of triumphs, in 2022 the House of Hamamatsu will give up competing with an Official Team for the Italian title, concentrating its efforts on the development of a Jimny in T2 configuration.
A new regulation that allows a wider variety of models to take part in the race, magnificent routes, professionally organized races, affordable costs and a rich prize pool. These are the elements that make the Suzuki Challenge the most exciting and interesting series of the Italian off-road scene for 2022, as well as the ideal context to give free rein to the passion for off-road racing.
An occasion for everyone
Suzuki and the organizer Emmetre Racing have studied a new formula for the Suzuki Challenge 2022, capable of attracting a greater number of competitors and making the historic trophy more exciting than ever. The one-make championship, now in its 23rd edition, will allow this year to line up at the start with any off-road Suzuki, of any year and with the most disparate types of homologation.
To the delight of the public and for the pleasure of the drivers, the Suzuki Challenge 2022 will be open to the Samurai, Jimny, Vitara and Grand Vitara of the groups T1, national T1, T2 and TH. The rankings of the trophy will be drawn up by applying specific coefficients for the best performing prototypes and for simplified prototypes, as well as for cars strictly derived from the series and for competition cars with the oldest homologations.
In this way, even those who will be at the wheel of a less powerful car, or older or more experienced, but always efficient, will be able to put themselves to the test, see their skills rewarded and enjoy themselves in prestigious races.
A trophy in six acts
The trials of the Suzuki Challenge will be the same as those of the Italian Cross Country Rally Championship 2022. This format will ensure that participants will always compete on extraordinary, technical and very challenging tracks, carefully prepared by a professional organization. The Suzuki Challenge 2022 will consist of six races, from which seven results will be generated. For the purposes of the ranking of the Challenge, the Italian Baja International will be considered divided into two stages, each with its own ranking. Some of these races will be of international level and will give the opportunity to those participating in the Challenge to compete with the best foreign crews.
The final ranking will be drawn up taking into account the five best results of each competitor, who will then have the opportunity to make two discards.
The Suzuki Challenge 2022 calendar
- March 11-13 - Italian Baja di Primavera (PN)
- May 13-15 - Baja Rally Adriatico (MC)
- May 26-29 - Greek Baja (Greece)
- July 7-10 - Italian Baja 1st stage (PN)
- 7-10 July - Italian Baja 2nd stage (PN)
- September 17-18 - Baja Vermentino Terre di Gallura (OT)
- October 13-15 - Baja Valtiberina Crete Senesi (AR)
Affordable costs
The Suzuki Challenge has always allowed Suzuki sporting customers to unleash their passion for off-road racing at a reasonable cost, and the 2022 edition keeps this promise.
As for participants with T1, T1 national, T2 and TH cars with engines of different origins over 1600 cc, the entry fee for drivers already registered in one of the previous editions is 500 Euros + VAT, which becomes 1,000 + VAT for new entrants.
Competitors who intend to participate with a TH car with a Suzuki engine up to 1600 cc must pay 250 Euros + VAT.
In the amount are included a kit of stickers to be applied to the car and a personalized Suzuki sweatshirt/jacket, to which is added - only for beginners who pay 1000 Euros + VAT - a fireproof HRX suit with Suzuki colors and logos.
All members of the championship can also take advantage of a discount of up to 20% on the purchase of original spare parts at the dealer or authorized workshop of confidence.
A rich prize pool
In the Challenge 2022 Suzuki is offering prize money totalling 30,000 Euros. This amount will be shared first and foremost among the top six in the overall standings, who will receive, in order, 10,000, 6,000, 4,000, 3,000, 2,000 and 1,000 Euros.
Two prizes of 2,000 Euros each will be awarded to the winners of the Suzuki TH up to 1,600 cc and Suzuki T2 Diesel classes. Should a Suzuki driver win the overall title of the Italian Cross Country Rally Championship 2022, the Hamamatsu company will award him an additional prize of 10,000 Euros.
A commitment for the future
Suzuki has chosen to forgo officially competing for the 2022 national title, leaving it up to private drivers to defend its colors in the Championship. After winning its fourteenth consecutive Manufacturers' title in Cross Country Rally in 2021, the Hamamatsu-based company has decided to focus on a new project. This year energies and resources will be dedicated to the creation of a kit to set up the Jimny in T2 configuration, a preparation that will then be proposed to the sporting customers to run in the Suzuki Challenge 2023.
The development of the kit will be entrusted to the expert Lorenzo Codecà, the driver who at the wheel of the Grand Vitara 3600 has won in the past 10 absolute titles in the Italian Championship. The Suzuki standard bearer will put the Jimny to the test during the race and will test those components useful to make the car competitive and performing to enhance its great reliability.
Source Suzuki Italia
Automatic translataion from the original Italian text.
