Fifteen drivers from 13 different countries have been selected for the next phase of the Beyond Rally Women’s Driver Development Program, organized by WRC Promoter. These talented candidates will participate in an intensive training camp to be held at the M-Sport Poland headquarters in Krakow from September 16 to 18, with the hope of securing one of the three coveted seats available to compete in the WRC Central European Rally in October.
The aspiring drivers were selected from a global pool of applicants and will have the opportunity to demonstrate their rally preparedness, mechanical knowledge, media skills, and driving abilities on mixed surfaces during the camp. The event will be led by a team of rally experts, and a panel of judges, chaired by Burcu Çetinkaya, President of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, will be responsible for selecting the three most promising drivers to compete in the penultimate round of the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship.
The Central European Rally, to be held in October, will be the stage where the three chosen drivers will compete behind the wheel of Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars prepared by M-Sport Poland. This event represents a unique opportunity for the selected drivers, not only to compete in a high-level rally but also to gain experience in a professional environment with all the necessary support to excel in the competition.
Among the 15 selected candidates are drivers with diverse backgrounds in motorsport, coming from three continents. Some of the standouts include Lyssia Baudet from Belgium, Emma Chalvin from France, Mako Hirakawa from Japan, and Nuria Pons from Spain, among others. This diversity of origins highlights the global reach of the program and the WRC’s commitment to promoting female participation in the sport.
Peter Thul, Senior Director of Sports at WRC Promoter, expressed his excitement about the caliber of the candidates: “We were completely overwhelmed by the quantity and quality of the applicants. Selecting the 15 finalists was an incredibly challenging task, and there were some tough decisions to be made.” Thul also emphasized the program’s long-term commitment, encouraging those candidates who were not selected to continue pursuing their dreams in future editions.
After the Central European Rally, one of the three selected drivers will receive full support to compete in the 2025 FIA Junior WRC, thus opening another door in their sports career and reinforcing the WRC’s commitment to developing and promoting female talent in motorsport.
