Portugal and Central European Rally will feature on the Junior World Rally Championship roster for next season, following a shake-up of events on the five-round calendar.
The WRC’s winter classic, Rally Sweden remains the starting point for the series, which retains its single-make format with the Ford Fiesta Rally3. Rally Portugal is next up, the Matosinhos-based event back for the first time since 2022. Acropolis Rally Greece moves up from being the decider to the third round, replacing Sardinia, which drops off the schedule.
The series organizers have shifted the gravel emphasis from rough to smooth gravel, with the introduction of Portugal and retention of the popular classic Rally Finland. The season’s asphalt element is provided by Central European Rally after Croatia completed its contracted three years in the WRC.
After a record-breaking 20 entries in the race for a title won by Estonian Romet Jürgenson this year, FIA Junior WRC championship manager Maciej Woda is looking forward to more of the same next season.
Woda said: “2025 is shaping up to be another landmark year for the FIA Junior WRC. We’ve designed a calendar that will challenge our crews across a variety of terrains, from icy roads in Sweden to the searing heat of Greece and the changeable Tarmac of Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany.
“I’m particularly excited about returning to Portugal and the introduction of Central European Rally, which adds a fresh dimension to the series. It’s going to be another thrilling season and I can’t wait to see who rises to the top.”
