Female competitors have the chance of a lifetime with the opportunity to win a supported Junior WRC drive next season.
WRC Promoter announced the game-changing, multi-year global program – which will also put three under-27 women drivers in a trio of Ford Fiesta Rally3s for October’s Central European Rally – on Friday.
Participants start the process by sending a two-minute video to the promoter, explaining why they feel they should be included along with their driving resume. From there, 15 drivers will be selected to take part in a training camp at M-Sport Poland in Kraków, with two days of driving split between gravel and asphalt as well as an evaluation of mechanical knowledge, pacenote competence and PR skills.
The three CER-bound drivers will be selected by a jury comprised of WRC stakeholders at that September test. One of those three will be selected by the same jury for the supported JWRC program next season.
WRC Promoter senior director sport Peter Thul said: “WRC has a storied history of female participation. Michèle Mouton is one of the greatest motorsport legends, period, while in the past three years we have crowned female world champion co-drivers in WRC3 and WRC2.
Female co-drivers like Enni Mälkönen have shone in recent years, but WRC Promoter wants to boost driver numbers
“But it has been some time since we have had female drivers consistently competing at the top levels of our sport and we hope this program will go some way in helping to bridge this gap.
“We have a long-term vision with this project and we will continually evaluate the process to ensure that increased female participation is lasting.
“We are focusing primarily in the initial stages of selection – including Central European Rally – on being on Tarmac, creating an easier transition for entrants with a background in karting and circuit racing.”
Burcu Çetinkaya, chair of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission said: “I applaud the WRC Promoter for the opportunities they are affording young up-and-coming female drivers. We see so many female co-drivers succeeding in the WRC and in the coming years, we want to see just as many female drivers enjoying the same successes.
“As chair of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission I’m delighted to share my support for this important mission and I look forward to seeing FIA member clubs encouraging participants and applicants from across the globe.”
Potential applications should register their interest by emailing beyondrally@wrc.com.
