The World Rally Championship has chosen the three feminine drivers from its inaugural ladies’s driver growth programme that may obtain a fully-funded drive on the Central European Rally.
Lyssia Baudet (Belgium, 21), Claire Schonborn (Germany, 25), and Suvi Jyrkiainen (Finland, 24) had been chosen from a gaggle of 15 finalists that had been whittled down from an array of functions from the world over.
They may now pilot an M-Sport-built Ford Fiesta Rally3 within the penultimate spherical of the WRC season from 17-20 October.
The trio had been chosen by a panel made up of Peter Thul (WRC Promoter Sporting Director), Burcu Cetinkaya (rally driver and FIA ladies in motorsport chairperson), Pernilla Solberg (FIA WRC Fee president, former rally driver), Maciej Woda (M-Sport Poland managing director) and Isolde Holderied (1994-95 FIA feminine world rally champion).
The choice arrived after the 15 candidates undertook a intensive three-day coaching marketing campaign in Poland the place they had been assessed by a panel of consultants.
The drivers had been judged on their driving capabilities on asphalt and gravel, how they dealt with media interviews, pacenote making expertise, health and their mechanical information.
Following subsequent month’s Central European Rally, the judges will supply one of many three drivers a full season in subsequent 12 months’s Junior World Rally Championship.
Schonborn, who made her rally debut within the Opel Electrical Rally Cup this 12 months mentioned: “I didn’t suppose that I used to be picked up, I’m speechless, it looks like a dream.
Claire Schonborn (left), Lyssia Baudet (centre) and Suvi Jyrkiainen (proper)
Picture by: WRC
“There are such a lot of women with a lot expertise in rally, so the extent was actually excessive. I didn’t take into consideration being the chosen one of many three women so sure, I’m so blissful.”
Former circuit racer turned rally driver, Baudet added: “It is wonderful, I really feel like I’m in a dream however I do know that it’s only the beginning of the journey and I’ve loads of work to do, however I’m prepared for this and I’m very grateful.”
“I want to congratulate the opposite candidates, the extent was very excessive. It’s been an incredible alternative for us all.”
“I used to be proud of my driving all through the times however I wasn’t certain if the opposite issues had been sufficient however I’m actually blissful. It is actually unbelievable, I can not think about myself there within the WRC however possibly you realize it should sink in in a couple of days,” mentioned Jyrkiainen, who completed runner-up within the 2023 End Rally Championship Women Cup.
“For us, it was on the finish, very troublesome to make the selection. We hope after all that it was the correct one, we are going to see on the following stage of the method on the Central European Rally,” mentioned Thul.
“Every one of many finalists has been distinctive. We all know their CV, some women haven’t any expertise to say, drive on gravel in any respect and so they have actually shocked us right here.
“All of them delivered a improbable efficiency, I need to say everybody was the correct option to be throughout the 15 that had been chosen.
“Now although, a WRC occasion is ready and it’s a really powerful tarmac rally with altering climate situations via Germany, Czech Republic and Austria. However this coaching camp right here in Poland gives quite a lot of highway surfaces, so I feel they are going to be properly ready.
“They may have a pre-event take a look at, additionally we are going to construct along with M-Sport Poland an expert construction, after which we hope the three drivers will probably be pure ambassadors for girls in motorsport.”
