New-look Junior WRC unveils 2022 calendar

The Junior World Rally Championship calendar has been unveiled for the new-look 2022 season, where the series is catering for four-wheel-drive cars for the first time in its 20-year history.

The Ford Fiesta R2 and then Rally4 has been the mandated vehicle since M-Sport Poland took over the running of the championship in 2017, but next year drivers will compete in the more powerful, four-wheel-drive Fiesta Rally3.

Next year’s five-round calendar offers competitors with a rich mix of different styles of rallies.

The season will begin on the snow of Sweden before the only asphalt event of the season in Croatia – which kickstarted last year’s campaign.

From there the championship again heads to Portugal and Estonia – two contrasting gravel events – before the notorious Acropolis Rally brings the curtain down on the season with a double points finale.

“This is the final piece in the puzzle for the 2022 FIA Junior WRC Championship,” said championship manager Maciej Woda.

“It has the perfect mixture of classic WRC events and newer additions that have already proven to be fan and driver favorites. Most importantly, we have worked very hard to make sure next year’s Junior WRC crews gain wide ranging experience on every surface the WRC has to offer in an effort to prepare them for their future careers.

“The purpose of the championship is to provide an accessible introduction to the WRC so a balanced and representative calendar is of paramount importance. This representative calendar is now underlined by the representative experience 2022’s crews will gain by competing in the four-wheel drive Fiesta Rally3, which will see a step up in performance and speed for this incredibly competitive championship.”