Two alternatives for the 2022 season for the 2021 Junior WRC champion

In a context of uncertainty linked to travel in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and a delicate economic situation, the FIA ​​and M-Sport have decided to offer not one but two possibilities for the future winner of the Junior WRC, with a view to the 2022 campaign.

If the first prize included a package based around a Ford Fiesta Rally2, 200 Pirelli tires, payment of WRC3 entry fees and five WRC entries for 2022, another option could be chosen.

The Junior champion will indeed be able to look forward to five fully financed rounds in the WRC in 2022, at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta Rally3, the future four-wheel drive developed by M-Sport, as well as entry into WRC3.

“It is of paramount importance to the FIA ​​Junior WRC and our partners that drivers are able to develop and progress in their WRC careers after winning the championship, explains Maciej Woda, responsible for the series.

We have consulted current, former and prospective Junior WRC drivers on the awards and taken their feedback into account, which is crucial to the success of any championship. By introducing this alternative, we recognize the challenge that all drivers face when moving up to a higher category.

M-Sport, for good reason, has worked hard to develop its pyramid which mirrors that of racing cars. rally. Fortunately, we are in a prime position to offer a car at all levels of the FIA ​​pyramid and, with the introduction of the Rally3 category, there is now a more accessible entry level for four-wheel drive .

The new Fiesta Rally3 allows us to offer five fully funded WRC rounds in a four-wheel drive, instead of waiting for the champion to get a budget to run a Rally2 car over five WRC rounds.

If the champion has the resources to contest a Rally2 program, that's fantastic and we wouldn't discourage him from doing so. The objective of this alternative prize is simply to guarantee the future of the champion to participate in WRC events. »

The Junior WRC will be contested over five rounds in 2021, with a debut expected in April at the Croatia Rally.