“We often say that the best drivers are perhaps not the ones driving, but those that have never had the opportunity,” says 2001 world rally champion co-driver and FIA deputy president Robert Reid, as he watches on as FIA Rally Star finalists strap themselves into a Ford Fiesta Rally3 car, for a first taste in remote Sardinia.
It’s a statement that perfectly explains why the FIA has embarked on perhaps one of its boldest and largest investments in unearthing driving talent, which it hopes will deliver future World Rally Championship champions. There have been talent-finding initiatives in rallying before, think Pirelli Star Driver and WRC Academy, that helped develop the likes of Ott Tanak, Hayden Paddon and the late Craig Breen, more than 10 years ago.
But the new FIA Rally Star initiative has taken this idea to the next level through a global talent search to find candidates, aged 17-26, that will take advantage of a fully funded four-year programme, designed to develop a future champion driver and co-driver. It has been a significant investment that has received support from Pirelli and M-Sport - the duo supplying tyres, Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars, mechanics and engineers.
It's the brainchild of the FIA’s Cross-Country and Regional Rally Championships and former FFSA communications expert Jerome Roussel. The scheme launched in 2021 and shares the core principles of the famous Rally Jeunes slalom challenge initiative in France that can lay claim to providing the first step on the rally ladder for WRC legends Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier. A similar slalom challenge, using a road car to navigate through cones against the clock, was one of the elements candidates could tackle to throw their hat into the Rally Star ring for regional final selection.
In addition to a physical real-world driving element, Rally Star engaged with the growing Esports trend by encouraging ASNs to host digital events where applicants would tackle a specially designed stage using the WRC9 computer game, while those unable to attend these events could do the same by competing on their computer or consoles at home.
In total almost 7000 applied before the most promising candidates were selected to take part in six, three-day regional finals split into Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and a final dedicated to female drivers. The finalists were then put through physical driving challenges, using Cross karts, alongside a series of mental tasks.
Juries that have included the likes of Reid, Hyundai WRC driver Thierry Neuville, WRC2 star Gus Greensmith, Pernilla Solberg and M-Sport bosses Malcolm Wilson and Maciej Woda selected the 12 finalists - Romet Jurgenson/Siim Oja (Estonia), Annia Cilloniz/Alvaro Rivera (Peru), Abdullah Al Tawqi/Ronan Comerford (Oman/Ireland), Max Smart/Lorcan Moore (South Africa/Ireland), Taylor Gill/Dan Brkic (Australia) and Jose Abito Caparo/Willy Guillermo Sierra (Peru).
Source: Autosport