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) have been chosen from a gaggle of 15 finalists that had been whittled down from an array of functions from the world over.
They are going to now pilot an M-Sport-built Ford Fiesta Rally3 within the penultimate spherical of the WRC season from 17-20 October.
The trio have 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 have been assessed by a panel of consultants.
The drivers have been judged on their driving capabilities on asphalt and gravel, how they dealt with media interviews, pacenote making abilities, health and their mechanical information.
Following subsequent month’s Central European Rally, the judges will provide 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 assume that I used to be picked up, I’m speechless, it seems like a dream.
Claire Schonborn (left), Lyssia Baudet (centre) and Suvi Jyrkiainen (proper)
Photograph by: WRC
“There are such a lot of ladies 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 ladies 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 quite a lot 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 a tremendous alternative for us all.”
“I used to be pleased with my driving all through the times however I wasn’t certain if the opposite issues have been sufficient however I’m actually blissful. It is actually unbelievable, I can not think about myself there within the WRC however possibly you understand it can sink in in a couple of days,” mentioned Jyrkiainen, who completed runner-up within the 2023 End Rally Championship Girls Cup.
“For us, it was on the finish, very tough to make the selection. We hope in fact that it was the fitting one, we’ll 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 ladies 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 implausible efficiency, I have to say everybody was the fitting option to be inside the 15 that have been chosen.
“Now although, a WRC occasion is ready and it’s a really robust tarmac rally with altering climate situations by way of Germany, Czech Republic and Austria. However this coaching camp right here in Poland affords quite a lot of highway surfaces, so I feel they are going to be effectively ready.
“They are going to have a pre-event check, additionally we’ll construct along with M-Sport Poland an expert construction, after which we hope the three drivers can be pure ambassadors for girls in motorsport.”
