Highlighting the championship’s truly international appeal, a total of 13 drivers from 11 countries have registered, with each set to drive identical M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evos equipped with Hankook tyres and optimised with Wolf Lubricants. The field includes competitors from Europe, South America, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East.
Leading the charge is Paraguay’s Diego Dominguez, widely considered a title favourite after securing two previous Junior WRC victories as well as clinching last year’s WRC3 crown. Joining him is reigning FIA Junior ERC champion Mille Johansson, who also claimed the Junior WRC victory at Rally Sweden in 2024. The line-up is further bolstered by FIA Rally Stars Taylor Gill and Max Smart, as well fellow returnee Ali Türkkan.
Adding to the intrigue are two finalists from the WRC Promoter’s Beyond Rally Women’s Driver Development Programme: Claire Schönborn and Lyssia Baudet. Both will make their Junior WRC debuts at Rally Sweden, where the most promising performer of the pair will earn a fully funded drive to contest the remaining rounds of the championship.
Other newcomers include Joosep Ralf Nõgene, Kerem Kazaz, Thomas Martens and Tristan Charpentier. Shaker Jweihan, hailing from Jordan, is also set to join the action from Vodafone Rally de Portugal.
The 2025 FIA Junior WRC calendar features five iconic rallies, kicking off on the snow and ice of Rally Sweden (13 – 16 February). The championship then moves to three consecutive gravel events: Vodafone Rally de Portugal (15 – 18 May), EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (26 – 29 June) and Secto Rally Finland (31 July – 3 August) before concluding on asphalt with the Central European Rally (16 – 19 October). Double classification points will be on offer at the final round, adding extra drama to the title decider.
The ultimate prize for the 2025 champion is nothing short of life-changing: a fully-funded arrive-and-drive package to compete in four European rounds of the 2026 WRC in a Ford Fiesta Rally2. This includes pre-event testing as well as tyre support courtesy of Hankook.
FIA Junior WRC Championship Manager Maciej Woda said: “The FIA Junior WRC has always been a place where young talent shines, and it’s exciting to see the level of competition we have for this season. Just like Neuville, Breen, Ogier, Loeb, Evans and Pajari, who all began their WRC journeys here, this year’s crop of drivers have the opportunity to reach the very top of the sport. I’m really looking forward to watching this season unfold - it’s going to be a thrilling year ahead.”
Driver Line-Up - 2025 FIA Junior WRC:
Lyssia Baudet, 22, Belgium
Tristan Charpentier, 24, France
Diego Domínguez, 24, Paraguay
Taylor Gill, 21, Australia
Mille Johansson, 19, Sweden
Shaker Jweihan, 27, Jordan
Kerem Kazaz, 19, Türkiye
Eamonn Kelly, 26, Ireland
Thomas Martens, 18, Belgium
Joosep Ralf Nõgene, 21, Estonia
Claire Schönborn, 25, Germany
Max Smart, 22, South Africa
Ali Türkkan, 25, Türkiye
