Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Pajari headlines 2022 Junior WRC driver lineup
gennaio 31, 2022 - FIA Junior WRC

Pajari headlines 2022 Junior WRC driver lineup

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. 

The driver lineup for the 2022 #fiajuniorwrc Championship has been finalised ahead of #rally Sweden which includes the return of reigning #fiajuniorwrc Champion, Sami Pajari.
 
Eight crews will line up for #rally Sweden in identical M-Sport Poland-built Fiesta Rally3 cars, with two rookies joining the ultra competitive lineup. 
 
Pajari is the first driver to enter Junior #wrc as the reigning champion since Patrick Sandell in 2007 with Per Gunnar Andersson being the only driver to win more than one Junior #wrc title after winning the championship in 2004 and 2007.
 
Pajari will be set to resume battle with 2021 Championship runner-up Jon Armstrong with both drivers electing to bring new co-drivers with them for 2022 with Enni Malkonen sitting in with Pajari and Brian Hoy for Armstrong. 
 
2018 Tour de Corse winner Jean-Baptiste Franceschi returns to the field in what is set to be a hotly contested championship after he beat Pajari to the ERC3 Junior crown in 2021. Franceschi's entry is courtesy of M-Sport's 'Ladder of Opportunity' prize package for winning the ERC3 Junior Championship in partnership with M-Sport Poland, Pirelli and ERC Promoter.
 
There are six crews with previous Junior #wrc experience heading to Sweden and they have each demonstrated their speed with Junior #wrc stage wins to their name sharing over 100 Junior #wrc stage wins between them.
 
A pair of rookie crews are joining the field in 2022 with Kenyan McRae Kimathi making his Junior #wrc debut following his successful #wrc debut on 2021's Safari #rally Kenya in an M-Sport Poland Fiesta Rally3. After making his #wrc debut on his home event on Acropolis #rally Greece in 2021, Panagiotis Roustemis is embarking upon his first full season of international rallying in Junior #wrc.
 
Maciek Woda, Junior #wrc Championship Manager, said: "We have got such a talented lineup once again for Junior #wrc in 2022, which is even more exciting when you consider we are entering our first season of four-wheel drive competition. The stand out news is Sami re-entering the championship after winning in 2021 but it's actually a route of natural progression going from the Fiesta Rally4 to the Fiesta Rally3. It makes Junior #wrc a totally new challenge for Sami and everyone else returning, now that it is a four-wheel drive championship. It is going to be a very interesting year and almost a continuation from last year too with Sami and Jon both returning with the likes of William Creighton, Lauri Joona and Robert Virves who we all know are very competitive drivers. I am hugely happy to see J-B Franceschi's name on the entry list too, he has had a huge fight to get to the point where he is now and I know he is a very talented driver who I am sure is going to make the championship fight even more interesting. McRae Kimathi is the first of our two new crews I'd like to talk about, he was very impressive on Safari #rally Kenya in a Fiesta Rally3 last year and is showing a good attitude heading into the championship. It's a similar story for Panagiotis too who I know has worked incredibly hard to enter the championship this year so it will be interesting to follow his progress throughout the season."
 
Sami Pajari
Enni Malkonen
"I am really excited, for me it's a new challenge with four-wheel drive which is the same for everyone. Sweden is the first round which I should be familiar with as it is on snow and ice, it's not only me with this kind of experience. I think Lauri will be really good and I think there is a bunch of other guys who will be really fast so we should have a good competition throughout the year. I am just really looking forward to starting the new season, ok we have already done Rallye Monte Carlo, it isn't part of Junior #wrc but it is good in terms of our #wrc 3 experience."
 
Lauri Joona 
Mikael Korhonen
"I think the Fiesta Rally3 car is a competitive car, I have driven two rallies with the car and it felt good. It's really nice to drive four-wheel drive too which is a big upgrade coming from Rally4 cars. I am looking forward to some good competition this year and for me the target is to win which I am fully focussed on."
 
Jon Armstrong
Brian Hoy
"I am thrilled to be back in the Junior #wrc with all of M-Sport Poland who I really like working with, Junior #wrc has a special place in my heart, having watched it for many years and then be able to compete in the championship. This year is going to be even more of a challenge as we are using the Fiesta Rally3 which is four-wheel drive and different to the Rally4 car. I have already driven the and that gives me some confidence."
 
Robert Virves
Aleks Lesk
"It's great to be able to be on the start line of #rally Sweden and start in Junior #wrc again. I have been working very hard since last year, to make it to this point. Managing the budget is really stressful and everything is possible only thanks to my great sponsors who I am very thankful to. I am looking forward to the start of the season and hopefully it will be much better than the last one."
 
William Creighton
Liam Regan
"I am really excited to be part of Junior #wrc again for 2022, last year was an amazing experience, I learned a lot competing on world championship events with M-Sport Poland. It gives me more confidence heading into this year with the new Fiesta Rally3, it's great to make the jump to four-wheel drive which I am really looking forward to."
 
Jean-Baptiste Franceschi
Anthony Gorguilo
"It's a big pleasure for me to be able to do Junior #wrc again after winning the ERC3 Junior Championship. It's going to be a crazy season but I want to say a huge thanks to ERC and M-Sport Poland for this opportunity."
 
McRae Kimathi
Kioni Mwangi
"I am very excited to be doing the #fiajuniorwrc Championship for 2022, it's the first time for me, a new experience and adventure. I hope I can get as much mileage as I can in the #wrc to learn the stages and continue from there in the hope of becoming the first African to becoming junior world champion."
 
Panagiotis Roustemis
Christos Bakloris
"The #fiajuniorwrc Championship is a dream for me and I believe it is the best opportunity for me to participate this year because I have experience of four-wheel drive #rally cars. My big advantage as a Greek driver is the last #rally in championship which is Acropolis #rally Greece with double points on offer. I want to thanks my sponsors until now Seajets, Athens Medical Group, Rent a Car Roustemis, Roustemis Motorsport, 4troxoi, ikteo kiatou, Mayoralty of Korinthos Greece and Tikun."

News correlate

febbraio 18, 2024
gennaio 29, 2024
gennaio 29, 2024

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. The FIA Junior WRC Championship celebrated the emergence of its latest you...

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team has started the 2024 FIA World Rally ...

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale.M-Sport Ford World Rally Team reaches the end of the famous Rallye Monte-Ca...

Ti potrebbe interessare anche

dicembre 22, 2023
dicembre 22, 2023
dicembre 13, 2023

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. The 2024 Dakar Rally is just two weeks away and the towering dunes of Saud...

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team is excited to announce that Adrien Fourmaux ...

Il film “Race for Glory”, l'incredibile storia vera del Campionato del Mondo di Rally del 1983, uscirà il 5 gennaio negli Stati Un...