Wikipedia

Junior WRC

(Redirected from Junior World Rally Championship)

The FIA Junior WRC, also known as JWRC and previously known as Junior World Rally Championship, is an international rallying competition restricted to drivers under 29 years old. The championship currently consists of five select rallies of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar. The category has been a stepping stone in the careers of Sebastien Loeb and Sébastien Ogier (WRC Champions), Dani Sordo, Elfyn Evans, Craig Breen and Thierry Neuville.[1][2][3][4]

FIA Junior WRC
CategoryGroup Rally3
CountryInternational
Inaugural season2001
Drivers' championRepublic of Ireland William Creighton
Co-Drivers' championRepublic of Ireland Liam Regan
Official websitewww.wrc.com
Current season
Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena at the 2001 Rally Finland.
P-G Andersson and Suzuki celebrating JWRC class victory at the 2004 Rally Finland.

Junior WRC differs from the WRC support championships, WRC2 and WRC3, as the competition is managed and promoted by M-Sport Poland under contract to the FIA. All cars are identical, provided and serviced by M-Sport on the entrants' behalf.[5][6] The car used in 2022 was a Ford Fiesta Rally3.[7] Championship titles are awarded to the winning Driver and Co-Driver.

The FIA did not award Junior WRC champion titles in the 2022 season. Instead, the titles of FIA WRC3 Junior were awarded to the winners of the Junior WRC competition run by M-Sport.[7][8][9]

History edit

The championship's origins began in 2001 as the FIA Super 1600 Drivers' Championship, and included six events in Europe. Sébastien Loeb was the series' champion, driving a Super 1600 Citroën Saxo.[10] The series became the Junior World Rally Championship the following year, with an upper age limit of 29 introduced in 2003.[11]

In 2007, the championship did not include events outside Europe. Following introduction of a rule in 2006 surrounding use of the word 'world' in championships, the championship was known as the FIA Junior Rally Championship (JRC) for one season only. The 2010 season was the last Junior World Rally Championship.[12]

In 2011, the FIA replaced the championship with the WRC Academy Cup and it did not award FIA titles. This was the first year the championship was managed under contract. M-Sport provided identical Ford Fiesta R2 cars to entrants to use.[13][14] In 2013 the series was renamed to FIA Junior WRC.[15]

In 2014, Citroën were awarded the contract to run Junior WRC providing Citroën DS3 R3T cars.[16] M-Sport repurposed the old Ford Fiesta R2 units for the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy.[17]

In 2017, M-Sport regained the running rights continuing to use the Ford Fiesta R2. Following the introduction of the Rally Pyramid in 2019, the latest evolution Ford Fiesta Rally4 was introduced for the second round of the 2020 season.

At the 2018 season the number of rallies were reduced to 5, while the last rally gives double points.

In March 2021 the FIA announced there will not be any two-wheel drive championships in WRC from 2022.[18] It was later announced Rally3 cars would be used for Junior WRC from then on.[8][9] The FIA title for 2022 was called WRC3 Junior, however from 2023, FIA Junior WRC was restored.

Rules edit

The Junior WRC is open to drivers under the age of 29 who have not competed as a Priority 1 (P1) driver in an FIA World Rally Championship event. Competitors drive identical Ford Fiesta Rally4 cars using Pirelli tyres. There is no obligation to enter a minimum number of rounds and all rounds contribute to the championship points tally.[19]

The point-scoring system based on classification is the same as in the WRC, WRC2 and WRC3 championships, with points allocated to the top ten classified finishers as follows:

Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th 
Points 25 18 15 12 10 8 6 4 2 1

The last rally in the season awards double classification points to competitors who have started at least 3 previous rounds. Power Stage points are not awarded in Junior WRC as in the other WRC championships, however JWRC competitors can score one championship bonus point for each stage win during the season.[19]

The Nations Trophy sums points of the best performing driver from each nation each round, not including stage points.[19]

Results edit

Drivers' Championship edit

Year Series name Upper Age Limit[a] Champion Car 2nd place Car 3rd place Car Rounds
2023 FIA Junior WRC 29   William Creighton Ford Fiesta Rally3   Diego Dominguez Ford Fiesta Rally3   Laurent Pellier Ford Fiesta Rally3 5
2022 FIA WRC3 Junior   Robert Virves Ford Fiesta Rally3   Jon Armstrong Ford Fiesta Rally3   Sami Pajari Ford Fiesta Rally3 5
2021 FIA Junior WRC   Sami Pajari Ford Fiesta Rally4   Jon Armstrong Ford Fiesta Rally4   Mārtiņš Sesks Ford Fiesta Rally4 5
2020   Tom Kristensson Ford Fiesta Rally4   Mārtiņš Sesks Ford Fiesta Rally4   Sami Pajari Ford Fiesta Rally4 4
2019   Jan Solans Ford Fiesta R2   Tom Kristensson Ford Fiesta R2   Dennis Rådström Ford Fiesta R2 5
2018   Emil Bergkvist Ford Fiesta R2   Dennis Rådström Ford Fiesta R2   Jean-Baptiste Franceschi Ford Fiesta R2 5
2017   Nil Solans Ford Fiesta R2   Nicolas Ciamin Ford Fiesta R2   Terry Folb Ford Fiesta R2 6
2016 28   Simone Tempestini Citroën DS3 R3T   Martin Koči Citroën DS3 R3T   Vincent Dubert Citroën DS3 R3T 6
2015   Quentin Gilbert Citroën DS3 R3T   Ole Christian Veiby Citroën DS3 R3T   Terry Folb Citroën DS3 R3T 7
2014   Stéphane Lefebvre Citroën DS3 R3T   Alastair Fisher Citroën DS3 R3T   Martin Koči Citroën DS3 R3T 6
2013 27   Pontus Tidemand Ford Fiesta R2   Yeray Lemes Ford Fiesta R2   Sander Pärn Ford Fiesta R2 6
2012 WRC Academy Cup 25   Elfyn Evans Ford Fiesta R2   José Antonio Suárez Ford Fiesta R2   Pontus Tidemand Ford Fiesta R2 6
2011   Craig Breen Ford Fiesta R2   Egon Kaur Ford Fiesta R2   Alastair Fisher Ford Fiesta R2 6
2010 FIA Junior World Rally Championship 29   Aaron Burkart Suzuki Swift S1600   Hans Weijs, Jr. Citroën C2 S1600   Todor Slavov Renault Clio R3 6
2009   Martin Prokop Citroën C2 S1600   Michał Kościuszko Suzuki Swift S1600   Aaron Burkart Suzuki Swift S1600 8
2008   Sébastien Ogier Citroën C2 S1600   Aaron Burkart Citroën C2 S1600   Martin Prokop Citroën C2 S1600 7
2007 FIA Junior Rally Championship   Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki Swift S1600   Urmo Aava Suzuki Swift S1600   Martin Prokop Citroën C2 S1600 7
2006 FIA Junior World Rally Championship   Patrik Sandell Renault Clio S1600   Urmo Aava Suzuki Swift S1600   Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki Swift S1600 9
2005   Dani Sordo Citroën C2 S1600   Kris Meeke Citroën C2 S1600   Guy Wilks Suzuki Ignis S1600 8
2004   Per-Gunnar Andersson Suzuki Ignis S1600   Nicolas Bernardi Renault Clio S1600   Guy Wilks Suzuki Ignis S1600 7
2003   Brice Tirabassi Renault Clio S1600   Salvador Cañellas Jr. Suzuki Ignis S1600   Daniel Carlsson Suzuki Ignis S1600 7
2002 n/a   Daniel Solà Citroën Saxo VTS S1600   Andrea Dallavilla Citroën Saxo VTS S1600   Janne Tuohino Citroën Saxo VTS S1600 6
2001 FIA Super 1600 Championship for Drivers   Sébastien Loeb Citroën Saxo VTS S1600   Andrea Dallavilla Fiat Punto S1600   Niall McShea Ford Puma S1600
Citroën Saxo VTS S1600 		6

Statistics edit

Updated after the 2023 season.

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Exciting Junior WRC Calendar revealed for 2023". Irish Motor Sports News. 2022-12-01. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  2. ^ "Armstrong's 'underdog' road to Junior WRC fight". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  3. ^ Barry, Luke (2021-03-29). "The Junior WRC stars worth watching in 2021". DirtFish. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  4. ^ "Exciting 2023 calendar revealed for FIA Junior WRC Championship - automobilsport.com". www.automobilsport.com. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  5. ^ "M-SPORT REVEALS NEW JUNIOR WRC R2 CAR".
  6. ^ "JUNIOR WRC". M-Sport. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  7. ^ a b "Junior WRC". WRC - World Rally Championship. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  8. ^ a b "APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR JUNIOR WRC DRIVE DAY".
  9. ^ a b "NEW-LOOK CALENDAR TEMPTS JUNIOR WRC HOTSHOTS".
  10. ^ Shacki. "Season 2001 rally - eWRC-results". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  11. ^ "Preview: WRC 2003". Crash. 2003-01-04. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
  12. ^ Stenos, Jan. "What is a Championship anyway?". janswrc.substack.com. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  13. ^ "Introducing The FIA WRC Academy Crews Of 2012". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  14. ^ "WRC academy completes induction". Crash. 2011-03-15. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  15. ^ "Exciting changes for 2013 WRC". WRC.com. WRC Official Website. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
  16. ^ "FIA Junior WRC has Citroën in the spotlight | CARS GLOBALMAG". 2015-05-04. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  17. ^ Shacki. "Season 2014 rally - eWRC-results". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
  18. ^ "FIA Announces World Motor Sport Council Decisions". Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 2021-03-05. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  19. ^ a b c "2021 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP – SPORTING REGULATIONS" (PDF).
  20. ^ a b "Top stats - JWRC wins". eWRC-results.

General Statistics edit

ewrc-Results.com

juwra.com Independent WRC archive

Notes edit

  1. ^ According to the official WRC Sporting Regulations document for each year

External links edit

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