Junior WRC attracts record entry for 2024

This season welcomes the largest FIA Junior WRC line-up in two decades with an astonishing 19 crews registered for the 2024 season-opening Rally Sweden. FIA Rally Star graduates Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó from Peru, Taylor Gill from Australia, Romet Jürgenson from Estonia and Max Smart from South Africa are ready to take on the next level of their journey along with other young global talents in 2024.

The mega entry list includes crews from across five continents representing 21 different nationalities, all of whom will pilot identical Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evos exclusively equipped with Pirelli tyres and Wolf Lubricants. Of the 19-strong field, a whopping 13 are newcomers. 

Action begins next month on the snow and ice of Sweden (15 – 18 February) before the Tarmac twists of the Croatia Rally (18 – 21 April). Gravel fixtures in Italy (30 May – 2 June), Finland (1 – 4 August) and Greece (5 – 8 September) round out the season. 

Wolf Stage Wins will once again be a unique aspect of the championship with a single championship point awarded for every stage win in 2024. Double classification points will also be on offer at the season-ending EKO Acropolis Rally Greece for drivers who enter at least three Junior WRC rallies in 2024.

Up for grabs is a life-changing prize comprising an arrive and drive package to contest four European rounds of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship in a Ford Fiesta Rally2 car, the natural progression from Junior WRC. The champion will also have the option to compete in two additional European rounds at a subsidised rate. 

Maciej Woda, FIA Junior WRC Championship Manager, said: “The number of entries we received this year exceeded our expectations. This remarkable turnout not only underscores the Junior WRC’s strong appeal, but also highlights its global significance and its role as a key platform for emerging rally talent. All of this is a testament to the hard work and dedication shown by the whole Junior WRC and M-Sport Poland team and, without them, none of this would be possible. 

“The international representation and the results seen in 2023 affirm that the Fiesta Rally3 Evo is an excellent car for young drivers. Now we look forward to some more great action and exciting battles in 2024!”

Introducing the Class of 2024:

Taylor Gill (AUS) / Daniel Brkic (AUS)
Coming all the way from Australia, Gill is one of four new entrants from the FIA Rally Star programme. In 2023 – his first year of international competition, the 20-year-old finished every rally he started. 

Romet Jürgenson (EST) / Siim Oja (EST)
Winner of FIA Rally Star’s European competition, Jürgenson showed blistering speed when he drove a Fiesta Rally3 on various rallies across Europe in 2023. His best result – third overall at MAHLE Rally Nova Gorica – saw him outperform several drivers with Rally2 cars. 

Max Smart (ZAF) / Cameron Fair (GBR)
Smart began his career in motocross but switched to rallying after winning FIA Rally Star’s African continental final in 2022. He is co-driven by Cameron Fair, who guided Jon Armstrong to last year’s ERC3 championship title.

Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó (PER) / Esther Gutierrez (ESP)
Like Smart, Caparó had never rallied before he won the FIA Rally Star American final. Impressive performances in 2023 earned the Peruvian a place in this year’s Junior WRC and he has new co-driver Esther Guitierrez alongside. 

Nataniel Bruun (BOL) / Pablo Olmos (ARG)
At just 18 years old, Bruun is the youngest driver in the FIA Junior WRC field. He has rallied a Kia Rio Proto extensively in his native Bolivia and posted a top-three stage time on his FIA Junior WRC debut in Greece last year.  

Eamonn Kelly (IRL) / Conor Mohan (IRL)
Kelly graduated to FIA Junior WRC in 2023 having claimed the Junior British Rally Championship title the previous year. A consistent drive earned him his sole victory on what was only his second WRC rally in Croatia. 

Diego Dominguez (PRY) / Rogelio Peñate (ESP)
One of the most experienced drivers in the field, Dominguez celebrated podium finishes on four out of five events in 2023. He finished runner-up to William Creighton, falling short of the title by just eight points. 

Gerardo Rosselot Valenzuela (CHL) / Marcelo Brizio (ARG)
Rosselot made his FIA World Rally Championship debut on home soil last year in Chile. Like many of his peers, he has never rallied on snow before and will complete a pre-event test in Rovaniemi, Finland, ahead of round one in Sweden. 

Raúl Hernández (ESP) / José Murado (ESP)
Hailing from Lanzarote, Hernández was named as the ‘Best Driver in the Canary Islands 2022’. He started three Junior WRC rounds in 2023, a fifth-place finish in Sweden being his best result. 

Roberto Blach (ESP) / Mauro Barreiro (ESP)
Having claimed multiple national titles in his native Spain, Blach graduated to Junior WRC in 2023 and finished fourth in the series. A trio of fastest stage times in Croatia were proof of the 27-year-old’s impressive speed on asphalt. 

Tom Rensonnet (BEL) / Loïc Dumont (BEL)
One of Belgium’s brightest young stars, Rensonnet hopes to follow in the footsteps of his countryman and current WRC driver Thierry Neuville. Podiums in Croatia and Greece last year were highlights during his debut season. 

Jakub Matulka (POL) / Daniel Dymurski (POL)
Brand-new to Junior WRC but with plenty of experience in the Fiesta Rally3, Matulka has been driving M-Sport-built machinery since very early in his career. He started an impressive 17 rallies in 2023 and finished second overall in the ERC3 championship. 

Petr Borodin (KAZ) / Roman Cheprassov (KAZ)
Borodin dipped his toe into WRC competition during 2023 when he drove a Fiesta Rally3 in Finland as well as at Central European Rally. He has claimed numerous outright victories on national rallies in his native Kazakhstan.  

Bruno Bulacia (BOL) / Gabriel Morales (BRA)
With impressive speed and South American flair, Bulacia has been competing regularly in WRC2 over the past two years. The 2024 season marks his first foray into Junior WRC. He is the younger brother of fellow WRC2 regular Marco.

Abdullah Al-Rawahi (OMN) / Ata Al-Hmoud (JOR)
Al-Rawahi, who hails from Oman, is the reigning FIA Middle East Rally Champion. He became the first driver to share the title after he tied for points in a dead heat with multiple MERC champion Nasser Al-Attiyah.

Fabio Schwarz (DEU) / Bernhard Ettel (AUT)
Son of former works driver and WRC rally winner Armin, Schwarz boasts vast experience despite being just 18 years old. He steps up to Junior WRC in 2024 having previously competed in events across Latvia, Estonia and his native Germany. 

Mille Johansson (SWE) / Johan Grönvall (SWE)
A product of the FIA Junior ERC, 2024 marks Johansson’s debut in Junior WRC. In 2023 he successfully campaigned a front-wheel drive Ford Fiesta Rally4. 

Norbert Maior (ROU) / Francesca Maior (ROU)
Brother and sister duo Norbert and Francesca Maior earned their place in this year’s championship by securing the FIA Junior ERC title in 2023. They have not previously competed on the world stage. 

André Martinez (PER) / Guillermo Sierra Ovalle (PER)
Martinez is another newcomer to Junior WRC. He made his FIA World Rally Championship debut at last year’s Rally Chile Bío Bio where he finished 25th overall and 12th in his class.