As for this year's Rally Japan: "It's a new rally so it's going to be interesting. I always went well in the past, including on the Asia Pacific event, so I hope I can be as fast as I was before, but always with a new rally, it's not easy. However, it's the same for everyone, so let's see what happens." When he's not battering the stages in his World Rally car, Chris chooses as his daily driver a 3-litre SUBARU Legacy wagon. He relates that it's the perfect vehicle for traveling around Monaco, and for heading into the mountains on snowboarding trips or for camping and the like. "It's quite handy, great for throwing things in the back before heading up to the slopes. I also use it to go to the airport quite a lot, on the way to races," he laughs. Back in Australia, a place Chris hasn't spent much time in lately due to work commitments, he used a SUBARU Tribeca on his last visit, though on each trip home he has a different car from the SUBARU range. When questioned on his overall impression of SUBARU road cars, Chris' reply was emphatic: "I love them as a car - and always have. Even when I was a boy at school, all I wanted was a WRX. It has always been one of my dream cars, and so now getting to race one is pretty special." Returning to the upcoming Rally Japan, taking place for the first time this year in Sapporo, Chris enthused: "We're really excited about coming to Japan with the new car, and can't wait to put on a show for all the fans. Seeing the huge number of SUBARU flags is really special, as is the number of fan all cheering us on. It's a fantastic event. I can't wait to make the most of it" With its all-new stages and Chris' string of strong performances in Japan so far, maybe each of the elements necessary for that all-important first win will come together for him in SUBARU's home ground, on this year's Rally Japan. Rally drivers are a unique breed; known for their ability to adapt to quickly changing conditions, and for being able to wrest the absolute most out of their machines in the toughest of situations. A man who fits the description perfectly is Australian SWRT driver Chris Atkinson, now in his fourth season with the SUBARU World Rally Team. Prior to contesting events at the top level, Chris was Super 1600 Champion in the APRC (Asia Pacific Rally Championship) back in 2003, a feat he repeated in 2004. He is also no stranger to the Japanese rally stages, having contested Rally Hokkaido on two occasions during that time, in addition to his competing on Rally Japan. Japan has proved auspicious for Chris. It was the scene of his first WRC podium, earned on Rally Japan in 2005, his first full season at SUBARU. Ahead of this year's event, Atkinson is confident and is looking forward to getting out on what will be new stages for all the competitors. Enjoying his most successful season ever in the WRC, he currently sits fourth in the drivers' standings after scoring five podium-finishes and some remarkable performances. Surely, with two second-places (in Mexico and Argentina) and three times coming third (Monte Carlo, Jordan and Finland), the question on everybody's lips has got to be about his first outright win, and whether that's just around the corner. Chris is philosophical in his reply: "I like to think it's not far away, but you can't worry about it too much. You just have to drive, and keep pushing. If it feels good, then you'll do a good result and a win can happen at almost any time in rallying because it's such a complicated and unpredictable sport." Regarding the four remaining rounds of the 2008 season, Chris relates that the specialized rallies in Catalunya and Corsica will be the second and third tarmac events for the new car, and so predicting a result at this stage would be difficult.