Toni Gardemeister won't be driving the Astra Racing Grande Punto Abarth S2000 on next month's 29th Rally Internacional de Curitiba after the former WRC star failed to secure the necessary backing in time. The 33-year-old Finn is fresh from an impressive showing on the Monte Carlo rally last month, his debut at the wheel of a Super 2000 machine.

Unfortunately we ran out of time to secure a deal for Brazil, although we tried our best," Gardemeister said yesterdau. "The target though is definitely to be back for the Sata Rally in the Azores. There's quite a long time after Brazil until that rally, so hopefully that will give us enough time to sort something out. I'm quite hopeful that we can do it." The Sata Rally takes place on 7-9 May.

Gardemeister impressed hugely on the Monte Carlo Rally last month. It was his tenth attempt at the classic rally which was on the IRC calendar for the first time. The event though finished in frustrating retirement just three special stages before finish. At that time Gardemeister was in lying a very strong second position. Gardemeister, and his co-driver Tomi Tuominen, had started final day with superb performance as they moved up to second position after first stage of the day. When survivors drivers headed towards the legendary special stages on Turini, the Finn's aim was to maintain his second position and to try to catch rally leader Sebastien Ogier.

His difficulties started just few minutes before start of the stage as the alternator caused problems and the engine lost power. After Turini Gardemeister lost all electricity from his car and was forced to stop the Grande Punto Abarth at a transit section. "I'm very, very disappointed for the retirement," he said after the rally. "Before the stage we discussed how excellent it is to rally for podium positions after very difficult previous season. And then Miss Fortune turned her back on us. [The] whole rally was full of problems but we thought to sort them out. However this was not the case this time and therefore this retirement is very very frustrating for me," Gardemeister added.

Gardemeister turned his attention to the IRC after being left high and dry following the cancellation of Suzuki's WRC programme at the end of last year. "I would say that it's looking very, very difficult for me to do something in the WRC this year. There's too much money and not enough cars. But with IRC, it is certainly more possible," he said. The Finn was also impressed by his first drive in a Super 200 car: "You have to drive the Super 2000 cars on the limit to get the most out of them and that means it is easy to make small mistakes. There are very few chances for drivers in the WRC but in the IRC it is cheaper and there seem to be more opportunities."