This season marks the largest FIA Junior WRC line-up in the past 20 years, with an astonishing 19 crews registered for the 2024 season-opening Rally Sweden. FIA Rally Star graduates Jose “Abito” Caparo from Peru, Taylor Gill from Australia, Romet Jurgenson from Estonia and Max Smart from South Africa will join other global young talents in 2024. Are you ready to take your journey to the next level?
The mega entry list includes crews representing 21 different nationalities from five continents, all of whom will be driving identical Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evos equipped with only Pirelli tires and Wolf lubricants. Of the 19-strong field, 13 are new players.
The action begins next month on the snow and ice of Sweden (February 15-18), ahead of the Tarmac Twist of the Croatia Rally (April 18-21). Gravel matches in Italy (May 30-June 2), Finland (August 1-4) and Greece (September 5-8) conclude the season.
Wolf stage wins will once again be a unique aspect of the championship in 2024 with one championship point awarded for each stage win. Drivers with at least three entries will also receive double classification points at the season-ending EKO Acropolis Rally Greece. The Junior WRC Rally will be held in 2024.
Up for Grab is a life-changing arrival and drive package to compete in the European Round 4 of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship in a Ford Fiesta Rally 2 car, a natural progression from Junior WRC It’s a prize. The champion will also have the option of competing in two further European rounds with a grant.
FIA Junior WRC Championship Manager Maciej Woda said: “The number of entries we received this year exceeded our expectations. This remarkable entrant not only highlights the strong appeal of the Junior WRC, but also highlights its global importance and emerging rally talent. All of this is a testament to the hard work and dedication shown by the entire Junior WRC and M-Sport Poland team, without whom this would not have been possible. It was possible.
“The international representation and results in 2023 confirm that the Fiesta Rally3 Evo is an excellent car for young drivers. We look forward to even more great action and exciting battles in 2024.”
Meet the Class of 2024:
Nathaniel Brun (BOL) / Pablo Olmos (ARG)
At just 18 years old, Bruun is the youngest driver in the FIA Junior WRC field. He has rallied extensively in his native Bolivia in a Kia Rio Proto and recorded a top-three stage time in his FIA Junior WRC debut in Greece last year.
Eamonn Kelly (IRL) / Conor Mohan (IRL)
Kelly won the Junior British Rally Championship title the previous year and graduated to the FIA Junior WRC in 2023. A consistent drive earned him his only victory in his second WRC rally in Croatia.
Diego Dominguez (PRY) / Rogelio Peñate (ESP)
One of the most experienced drivers in the field, Dominguez finished on the podium in four out of five events in 2023. He finished second to William Clayton, just eight points shy of the title.
Gerardo Rossellotto Valenzuela (CHL) / Marcelo Brizio (ARG)
Rosselotto made his FIA World Rally Championship debut in his home country of Chile last year. Like many of his mates, he has never rallied on snow before and will complete pre-event testing in Rovaniemi, Finland, ahead of the first race in Sweden.
Raul Hernandez (ESP) / Jose Murad (ESP)
Hernández, a native of Lanzarote, was named “Best Driver of the Canary Islands 2022”. He competed in three rounds of the Junior WRC in 2023, with a fifth place finish in Sweden being his best result.
Roberto Brach (ESP) / Mauro Barreiro (ESP)
Brach, who won multiple national titles in his native Spain, graduated to Junior WRC in 2023, finishing fourth in the series. The three fastest stage times in Croatia demonstrated the 27-year-old’s incredible speed on asphalt.
Tom Rensonnet (Belgium) / Loïc Dumont (Belgium)
One of Belgium’s brightest young stars, Renconet hopes to follow in the footsteps of his compatriot and current WRC driver Thierry Neuville. Last year’s podiums in Croatia and Greece were the highlights of his debut season.
Jakub Matulka (POL) / Daniel Dimurski (POL)
Matulka, who is new to Junior WRC but has extensive experience in Fiesta Rally 3, has been driving M-Sport cars since early in his career. He achieved great results in his 17 rallies in 2023, taking second place overall in the ERC3 Championship.
Petr Borodin (KAZ) / Roman Cheprasov (KAZ)
Borodin made his first foray into WRC competition in 2023, driving in Finland’s Fiesta Rally 3 and the Central European Rally. He has achieved numerous outright victories at national rallies in his native Kazakhstan.
Bruno Brascia (BOL) / Gabriel Morales (BRA)
Brashear, who has impressive speed and South American talent, has competed regularly in WRC2 for the past two years. The 2024 season will be his first participation in the Junior WRC. He is the younger brother of fellow WRC2 regular Marco.
Abdullah Al Rawahi (OMN) / Ata Al Humud (JOR)
Al Rawahi, from Oman, is the current FIA Middle East Rally Champion. He was tied on points after a dead heat with multiple MERC champion Nasser Al-Attiyah, becoming the first driver to share the title.
Fabio Schwarz (DEU) / Bernhard Ettel (AUT)
The son of former works driver and WRC rally winner Armin, Schwartz boasts a wealth of experience despite being only 18 years old. He has so far competed in events in Latvia, Estonia and his native Germany, before stepping up to the Junior WRC in 2024.
Mille Johansson (SWE) / Johan Gronvall (SWE)
As a result of the FIA Junior ERC, 2024 will be Johansson’s Junior WRC debut. In 2023, the front-wheel drive Fordhe successfully campaigned in the Fiesta Rally 4.
Norberto Maior (ROU) / Francesca Maior (ROU)
Brother-sister duo Norberto and Francesca Maior won the 2023 FIA Junior ERC title and qualified for this year’s championship. They have never competed on the world stage before.
Taylor Gill (Australia) / Daniel Brkic (Australia)
Gill, who comes all the way from Australia, is one of four new entrants to the FIA Rallystar program. In 2023, the 20-year-old’s first year of international competition, he completed every rally he started.
Romet Jurgenson (EST) / Sim Oja (EST)
Jurgensson, who won the FIA Rally Star European competition, drove the Fiesta Rally 3 in various rallies across Europe in 2023, showing off his blistering speed. His best result was third place overall at the Mare Rally Nova Gorica, where he outperformed several drivers in Rally 2 cars.
Max Smart (ZAF) / Cameron Fair (GBR)
Smart started his career in motocross but switched to rallying after winning the 2022 FIA Rally Star African continent final. He is co-driven by Cameron Fair, who led John Armstrong to last year’s ERC3 championship title.
Jose Abito Caparo (PER) / Esther Gutierrez (ESP)
Like Smart, Caparo had never rallied before winning the FIA Rallystar American Final. Thanks to his impressive performance in 2023, the Peruvian has qualified for this year’s Junior WRC, along with new co-driver Esther Guitierrez.
Andre Martinez (PER) / Guillermo Sierra Ovalle (PER)
Martinez is also a newcomer to the Junior WRC. He made his debut in the FIA World Rally Championship at last year’s Rally Chile Vio Vio, finishing 25th overall and 12th in class.