FIA Rally Star Graduates Revealed

FIA Rally Star drivers Jose Caparo (Peru), Taylor Gill (Australia), Romet Jürgenson (Estonia) and Max Smart (South Africa) are set for more life-changing experiences in 2024 after they were selected to contest next season’s FIA Junior WRC Championship.

It follows their graduation from the FIA Rally Star Training Season, which concluded with a meeting of the FIA Rally Star Committee earlier this week.

The FIA Rally Star Committee reviewed the performances of the six drivers during May’s Training Camp and six rallies, three FIA European Rally Trophy rounds and three national-level events, using extensive and detailed analysis. But they also considered their potential to be able to take the next step of their careers as they embark on an FIA Junior WRC campaign in 2024.

In addition, the FIA Rally Star Committee considered feedback from Maciej Woda, whose M-Sport Poland organisation prepared and maintained the Ford Fiesta Rally3s used in the Training Season, plus the FIA Rally Star operational team, Nicolas Klinger, Bryan To and Project Leader Jérôme Roussel.

FIA Deputy President for Sport Robert Reid chaired the Committee, which included Road Sport Director Andrew Wheatley and representatives from the WRC, Rally, Drivers and Esports Commissions.

After considerable deliberation, they confirmed that Caparo, Gill, Jürgenson and Smart will graduate to FIA Junior WRC in 2024, a five-event competition using the latest-specification Fiesta Rally3 Evo equipped with tyres from official supplier Pirelli.

FIA Deputy President for Sport Robert Reid, the 2001 FIA World Rally Championship-winning co-driver and Chairperson of the FIA Rally Star Committee, said: “Firstly I want to say thank you to all the FIA Rally Star team, M-Sport Poland, Pirelli and all other partners for making the FIA Rally Star Training Season possible.

"It wasn’t easy organising five Continental Finals and the Women’s Final on the back of the disruption caused by the global health crisis, but we achieved something incredible by showcasing rallying’s accessible nature to a new generation of potential competitors around the world. At the same time, I also want to acknowledge all the FIA Member Clubs and volunteer officials for their endless efforts, support and contribution.

“We talked a lot during the FIA Rally Star Continental Finals about potential rather than mere performance because we were never only looking to see the levels of drivers now, but whether they can go further in the sport, not just next year but well into the future. It’s easy to measure performance but it’s more difficult to measure potential and that’s what we have worked very hard to do. After all, we were looking for drivers who can be FIA Junior WRC champion in 2025 and who we feel then have the potential to go on and become a genuine rally star of the future.

“In Jose, Max, Romet and Taylor we firmly believe we have four drivers with the necessary potential and we wish them well in delivering on this. The FIA Junior WRC won’t be an easy ride by any means, but with the support and expertise of the M-Sport Poland team, the FIA Junior WRC structure and the FIA Road Sport Department, they have the platform to be the next champions.

“Providing they keep working hard and progressing, Abdullah and Annia can also go far in rallying. However, the FIA Rally Star Committee agreed that the FIA Junior WRC in 2024 is just a step too far right now. We will remain in contact and I’m sure we’ll see them both in the service parks of the WRC in the future.”

Annia Cilloniz and Abdullah Al-Tawqi have been informed that, despite their best efforts and level of progress made, they were not considered ready to graduate to FIA Junior WRC in 2024. Their participation in the FIA Rally Star programme therefore comes to an end. However, they leave the process with every good wish and high hopes remain that they will use the experience and expertise gained during the FIA Rally Star Training Season to continue to pursue their competition careers.

Caparo, Gill, Jürgenson and Smart, who qualified for the FIA Rally Star Training Season by winning the American, Asia-Pacific, European and African Continental Finals respectively, can now start their preparations for the 2024 FIA Junior WRC, which begins on Rally Sweden from February 15-18.

Their participation in FIA Junior WRC is being fully supported by the FIA and the FIA Rally Star partners. At the end of 2024, the three best performing FIA Rally Star Drivers will receive the full support to contest a second FIA Junior WRC season in 2025 when the prize for the champion will be a step up to Rally2 level in the FIA WRC2 Championship in 2026.

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