In the end it was too close to call and Beyond Rally Women’s Driver Development Programme competitors Lyssia Baudet and Claire Schönborn will both start the first round of the Junior World Rally Championship in Sweden next season.
Baudet, Schönborn and Finn Suvi Jyrkiäinen started the Central European Rally chasing a Junior WRC seat for next season. Ultimately, the five-strong panel were unable to decide on a single winner, so the Belgian and German driver will go head-to-head once more in Sweden.
Chairman of the Beyond Rally Women’s Driver Development Programme Peter Thul said: “Both Lyssia [Baudet] and Claire [Schönborn] delivered exceptional performances in extremely challenging conditions, making it incredibly difficult to choose between them. That’s why we’ve decided to give them both the chance to compete again at Rally Sweden. Given how evenly matched they were, we feel this is the fairest approach.”
Thul paid tribute to Jyrkiäinen’s performance, adding: “Suvi also showed tremendous potential, and despite the setbacks she faced, we’re proud of her efforts. We hope she gained valuable experience from this event and we’re confident it will strengthen her as a driver as she progresses in her career.”
Baudet described her success at last week’s Central European Rally as life-changing
None of the three drivers enjoyed a trouble-free run, with Jyrkiäinen’s Ford Fiesta Rally3 suffering a coolant problem through Saturday and Sunday. Schönborn’s car had a fuel pressure issue on Friday and Baudet was forced out of Saturday after taking a wheel off.
Across the final day, Schönborn and Baudet were split by just 1.1 seconds in the German driver’s favor, prompting the decision to give them both a car for Sweden. The judges will reconvene in Umeå to decide who goes ahead with the remainder of the JWRC season.
Baudet told DirtFish: “This was an unexpected end for Claire and I both to go to Sweden. It’s amazing, completely amazing. Yesterday we went off the road in the stage 10 and this morning we came back and did the scratch (fastest time) in the first stage, and then our pace was very good, so we didn’t lose any confidence. I have a strong character and I was able to come back stronger [for Sunday]. That’s very important for a rally driver.”
Baudet had something of a surprise for her parents following the CER finish in Passau on Sunday. She added: “This will completely change my life, because I’m a student, a physiotherapy student. I don’t know if I will continue to study this year. Maybe my parents are… I don’t know if they are happy about that. But, okay, I will focus on the rally, it’s the most important thing. I have never been to Sweden, so it will be a tough rally for me and for Claire also. We will see which is the best.”
Previously seen competing on hillclimbs, Schönborn starred on only her third ever rally
A similarly delighted Schönborn added: “This means everything to me. I’m so speechless at the moment. I need to sleep one more time [to process this.] This was my third rally, normally I race hillclimbs, but rallying is my favorite.
“I was growing up so fast this week. I started with nearly no experience and I’m happy to have learned so many new things. I was really comfortable with this and also picking up the speed quite well.
“I don’t have the budget [for rallying] and with this program it was possible for me to go to this. I hope, in Sweden, we will get the car for the next year.”
