Giandomenico Basso has been testing in the Alps in recent weeks (above) as the factory Abarth team beings the countdown to Monte Carlo. The experienced Toni Gardemeister will provide useful private support to the factory 3 car line-up. Toni Gardemeister is regarded as something of a 'Monte specialist', having competed in the famous January rally nine times, with a second place finish in 2005 being his best result to date. Here he is seen behind the wheel of the factory SEAT Cordoba WRC. Gardemeister's first drive in an Italian rally machine actually came a decade ago, the Finn piloting the legendary Lancia Integrale as a privateer on a succession of rallies during 1997 and 1998 before he got his factory break.

Flying Finn Toni Gardemeister will take the start of the Rallye Monte Carlo later this month at the wheel of an Grande Punto Abarth S2000 run by well-known Italian team Astra Racing. Gardemeister, who finished second overall on the Rallye Monte Carlo in 2005, has enjoyed a long association with Astra over the years and is a strong candidate for victory on the opening round of the IRC.

The 33-year-old Finn also has plenty of experience on the Rallye Monte Carlo, having contested the event no less than nine times. He last drove for Astra Racing on the Monte Carlo in 2006, finishing third on that occasion behind the wheel of a privately-entered Peugeot. Up until the end of last year Gardemeister was a full-time factory driver for Suzuki on the World Rally Championship, offering a perfect blend of youth and experience.

Gardemeister started rallying as a hobby back in 1993. His first event was the Kouvola Rally, driving an Opel Ascona. Rallies in Finland, in Italy and on the WRC followed, which included his first drive in an Italian rally machine, the Finn piloting the legendary Lancia Integrale on a succession of minor rallies during 1997 and 1998. Eventually his exploits in private machinery led to a full manufacturer seat with SEAT in 1998. After the 1999 season SEAT however withdrew from the WRC.

In 2001 Gardemeister struck a four year deal with the Skoda manufacturer team. He developed and rallied the Octavia WRC and Fabia WRC. However for the Finn his best rally season was to come in 2005 as, along with his co-driver Jakke Honkasen, he drove for the Ford factory team, finishing fourth in World Rally Championship, with his best results being second places in Corsica, Greece and Monte Carlo. However this success was not enough for Ford to renew his contract. Therefore Gardemeister was forced to step down into a role of a private rally driver for the next two years. Suzuki threw him a lifeline for their frontline WRC challenge last year, but with the Japanese firm pulling out at the end of the year he has been left high and dry once again.

"We’ve had the pleasure of working with Toni for a long time, and we’ve always known that he is an absolute star," says Astra Racing's Luca Pregliasco. He’s not only an excellent driver, but an excellent person as well. Because we already have a good relationship with him, I’m sure we will be up to speed straight away when it comes to working together. We’ve got a good car, so we’re all really looking forward to the rally now and we can’t wait to get started." Gardemeister and Astra Racing are currently negotiating to expand this one-off Monte Carlo drive into a full IRC programme for this year.

The Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge, gets underway with a ceremonial start from Monaco on the evening of Tuesday January 20, before the competitors tackle 14 stages totalling around 285 competitive kilometres. As well as the Astra Grande Punto Abarth entry for Gardemeister and the three factory-run cars of Giandomenico Basso, Anton Alén and Luca Rossetti, there are expected to be a further three privately run entries.