- Max Good completes FIA Junior WRC podium following standout drive
- Romet Jürgenson continues to high provisional championship standings
- Taylor Gill reveals tempo with stage wins however is out of luck in top-three bid
- Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó features extra vital expertise on powerful gravel rally
FIA Rally Star Max Good is a podium finisher within the Junior part of the FIA World Rally Championship – lower than a yr after he made his rallying debut.
The achievement adopted a wonderful drive from the 21-year-old on the ultra-demanding Rally Italia Sardegna, which the South African accomplished in third place among the many FIA Junior WRC contenders yesterday (June 2).
As nicely highlighting Good’s potential, the consequence showcased the professional coaching and steering he and his FIA Rally Star team-mates are receiving as they construct their restricted competitors expertise, having been chosen for the FIA’s expertise detection initiative following a worldwide search.
Whereas Good celebrated his maiden Junior WRC top-three end alongside co-driver Cameron Truthful, FIA Rally Star team-mate Romet Jürgenson’s seize of 5 quickest stage occasions means he continues to steer the provisional championship standings. Nevertheless, harm sustained throughout an incident on a liaison part on leg two meant the Croatia Rally Junior WRC winner needed to depend on the restart rule to get to the end after he’d led by way of the opening 5 levels.
Taylor Gill was second initially however his hopes of back-to-back Junior WRC podiums have been dashed by powersteering failure on Friday. The Australian took sixth place within the ultimate classification and picked up two extra factors for twice going quickest on Sardinia’s difficult gravel levels.
Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó was additionally out of luck however as soon as once more demonstrated his promise with three top-five stage occasions on solely his ninth ever rally.
FIA Secretary Basic for Sport Valerio Iachizzi was in Sardinia to look at the FIA Rally Star drivers in motion together with WRC Fee Chairperson Pernilla Solberg and FIA Street Sport Director Andrew Wheatley.
The FIA Street Sport Division, which conceived and manages the FIA Rally Star programme, acquired intensive help from FIA Member Membership, Car Membership d’Italia, plus the Rally Italia Sardegna organising group, earlier than and through the occasion.
FIA Rally Star Venture Chief Jérôme Roussel mentioned: “As anticipated, the condensed format of this yr’s Rally Italia Sardegna, mixed with the tough gravel levels, was extraordinarily demanding for one-make championship automobiles, such because the Fiesta Rally3s utilized by all Junior WRC drivers. We are able to subsequently be glad that, as in Sweden and Croatia, we had at the least one FIA Rally Star crew on the rostrum. This time it was Max and Cameron’s flip within the highlight after an exemplary rally. It’s not merely the place that I’m praising, however their capacity to adapt their tempo to swimsuit the situations, together with when it got here to defending that third place on the ultimate leg.
“I’d additionally like to spotlight the preventing spirit proven by Taylor and Dan after they needed to full two levels with out powersteering. Their efforts have been rewarded by a sixth-place end. There may have been one other nice consequence from Romet and Siim, who had the right strategy to win earlier than being halted by one thing very pointless. However the best drivers have skilled such irritating conditions and I’m positive it’ll make them stronger. Abito and Esther additionally put in a constructive efficiency, setting excellent occasions on a floor that’s not essentially the most pure for a former kart driver. Their efforts will not be removed from coming to fruition.”
FIA Rally Star Rally Italia Sardegna driver-by-driver round-up (listed in seeded order)
#70 Romet Jürgenson (24, Estonia) Co-driver: Siim Oja (EST)
The Junior WRC driver to beat after 5 levels however hopes of back-to-back wins for the Estonian ended when he broke his Ford Fiesta Rally3’s front-right wishbone hitting a concrete block on a good nook heading to SS7. He restarted on Sunday and was quickest on three levels out of 4 to steer the provisional championship standings by 25 factors.
Romet Jürgenson: “The error we made simply goes to point out that you must be extra conscious of all the things and bear in mind rallying doesn’t cease on the finish of stage, there’s a highway part as nicely. After all it’s disappointing as a result of there was positively a risk to win this rally however the laws permit us to drop one rating and we’ve to recollect we realized lots on this tough occasion and we all know there’s room for enchancment. The highest three was our aim, we didn’t obtain that so we are going to simply have to organize higher and do higher on the subsequent rally. Pushing for stage wins on the ultimate morning was our solely choice and it was truly simpler to drive in a quick rhythm once I was actually pushing. I used to be happy that we maximised what we may.”
#71 Taylor Gill (20, Australia) Co-driver: Daniel Brkic (AUS)
Second after two levels, Gill’s push for a repeat podium unravelled when his Ford Fiesta Rally3’s powersteering failed on SS3 and value him virtually seven minutes. Contact with a rock on SS8 left his automobile with solely three working brakes for the remainder of the loop. He was quickest on SS14 on his approach to sixth place. He’s third within the provisional standings after three rounds.
Taylor Gill: “It’s a little bit of a aid to be on the finish. It wasn’t the general consequence we have been after however the tempo was there and, normally, there are such a lot of positives to remove from this weekend. Dropping the powersteering put us on a little bit of a downward spiral. We pushed onerous on Saturday morning making an attempt to seize a few stage wins however had a little bit of a collision with a rock and that collapsed the wheel bearing and broke the brake disc so it induced us to limp by way of. However we did a fairly okay job of managing all the things to get to the tip. We levelled up our tempo, notably within the high-speed sections, and our dedication was actually constructive, particularly on Sunday going toe-to-toe with Romet and making an attempt to get the stage wins. That was actually enjoyable and actually encouraging to see the type of pace we’ve obtained.”
#79 Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó (27, Peru) Co-driver: Esther Gutiérrez (ESP)
A powerful fifth after leg one, Caparó’s prospects dived when he retired on Saturday with damaged steering following contact. He returned on Sunday and went fifth quickest on SS14 however needed to cut back his tempo thereafter resulting from two flat tyres.
Jose ‘Abito’ Caparó: “I’m happy to be on the end. Friday was excellent for us, we have been matching the pace, the pacenotes, the angle of the turns, all the things was to the purpose. Saturday was a nightmare however a lovely nightmare as a result of it was nonetheless wonderful to be competing on his unimaginable rally. Within the third stage of the morning loop we broke slightly bracket within the steering and needed to retire. It was vital to point out our tempo once more on the ultimate morning and we positively realized you generally need to be very gradual to achieve success on this rally. Passing by way of all of the levels would be the key for the subsequent occasion. Once I got here to Sardinia final yr for the FIA Rally Star Coaching Camp it was my first time in a rally automobile. Now I’m right here once more after solely eight rallies and my third with Esther and we’re studying on a regular basis.”
#80 Max Good (21, South Africa) Co-driver: Cameron Truthful (GBR)
Like team-mate Caparo, Good had by no means rallied 12 months in the past however the ex-motocross rider from Cape City battled by way of Sardinia’s tough and hard levels to financial institution his first Junior WRC podium at his third try and transfer as much as sixth place within the provisional standings.
Max Good: “It’s unimaginable to get a podium. This has actually been a dream for me and as we crossed the end line of the ultimate stage and heard Petr Borodin hadn’t made up sufficient time on us I began crying. I’m flabbergasted and so completely happy. At this level final yr I’d by no means performed a rally in my life. To return right here 12 months later after spectating on this rally final yr, standing on the rostrum in Junior WRC is a dream come true. The assist I’ve acquired from the FIA Rally Star group and M-Sport Poland has been unimaginable. My co-driver Cam actually pushes me, we’re analysing all the things after every stage, making an attempt to work out how we will do higher. The teamwork we had all through the rally was unbreakable, it felt actually good and I’m super-happy to be with him. Now I have to preserve the momentum and be taught from what we did right here and preserve progressing as a result of there’s a lot extra to realize. I’m nonetheless so younger on this sport, however each stage we’re studying, getting quicker and extra constant.”
FIA Junior WRC Championship occasion schedule refresher
The 2024 FIA Junior WRC Championship consists of 5 rounds as follows:
Rally Sweden (Snow/ice), February 15-18
Croatia Rally (Tarmac), April 18-21
Rally Italia Sardegna (Gravel), Could 30-June 2
Secto Rally Finland (Gravel), August 1-4
EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (Gravel), September 5-8
What’s subsequent?
The FIA Rally Star quartet will swap the rock-lined Sardinian gravel levels for super-smooth and super-fast Finnish roads, full with their numerous jumps and crests, when Secto Rally Finland takes place from August 1-4.
