Junior World Rally Championship
The FIA Junior World Rally Championship (also Junior WRC or JWRC) is an international rally competition restricted to drivers under 29 years old. The championship consists of select rallies on the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar. The category has been a stepping stone in the career of WRC Champions Sébastien Loeb and Sébastien Ogier, as well as current drivers such as Dani Sordo, Elfyn Evans and Thierry Neuville. Junior WRC differs from other WRC championships as all cars are identical, provided and serviced by the same entity under contract to the FIA. The car used in 2022 is a Ford Fiesta Rally3.[1] Championship titles are awarded to the winning Driver and Co-Driver.
| Category | Group Rally3 |
|---|---|
| Country | International |
| Inaugural season | 2001 |
| Drivers' champion |  Sami Pajari |
| Co-Drivers' champion | Marko Salminen |
| Official website | www |
 Current season | |
| World Rally Championship |
|---|
| Current season |
| Support championships |
|
Former: |
| Car classes used |
| Related lists |
The 2021 season of Junior WRC was the final season that the FIA awarded titles within 'Junior WRC'. From 2022, separate Junior categories were included within WRC-2 and WRC-3 for the first time in line with the FIA's new sporting Rally Pyramid.[2] However, the FIA awarded the running and management of the WRC-3 Junior category to M-Sport Poland, who continued to brand the new championship as the existing 'JWRC'. The promotor of WRC, WRC Promotor Gmbh, uses both terms interchangeably.[1][3][4]
History
The championship was first held in 2001 as the FIA Super 1600 Drivers' Championship, and included six events in Europe. Sébastien Loeb became the series' first champion, driving a Super 1600-class Citroën Saxo. The series became the Junior World Rally Championship the following year.
In 2007, the championship did not include events outside Europe, and was known as the FIA Junior Rally Championship (JRC) for one season only.
In 2011 the FIA replaced the Junior WRC with WRC Academy. This was the first year the championship was managed under contract. M-Sport provided identical Ford Fiesta R2 cars to entrants to use. In 2013 the series was renamed to FIA Junior World Rally Championship once again.[5]
In 2014 Citroën won the contract to run JWRC providing Citroën DS3 R3T cars. M-Sport repurposed the old Ford Fiesta R2 units for the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. 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.[2] It was later announced Rally3 cars will be used for Junior WRC from then on.[3][4]
Rules
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.[6]
The point-scoring system is the same as in the WRC, WRC-2 and WRC-3 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.[6]
The Nations Trophy sums points of the best performing driver from each nation each round, not including stage points.[6]
Results
Drivers' Championship
- Notes
- The 2011 and 2012 championships were run as the FIA WRC Academy.
- The 2007 championship was run as the FIA Junior Rally Championship.
- The 2001 championship was run as the FIA Cup for Super 1600 Drivers.
Statistics
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Round wins
- Updated after 2020 season.
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
Gallery
Sébastien Loeb driving his Citroën Saxo VTS S1600 in 2001.
Fiat Punto S1600 at the 2001 Rally Finland.
Renault Clio S1600 at the 2004 Rally Finland..jpg.webp)
2004 Suzuki Ignis S1600 at an auto show in 2003..jpg.webp)
Opel Corsa S1600 driven in 2005.
Suzuki Swift S1600 at the 2007 Rally Finland.
Ford Fiesta ST at the 2007 Wales Rally GB.
References
- "Junior World Rally Championship". WRC - World Rally Championship. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
- "FIA Announces World Motor Sport Council Decisions". Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 2021-03-05. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- "APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR JUNIOR WRC DRIVE DAY".
- "NEW-LOOK CALENDAR TEMPTS JUNIOR WRC HOTSHOTS".
- "Exciting changes for 2013 WRC". WRC.com. WRC Official Website. 21 September 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
- "2021 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP – SPORTING REGULATIONS" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)