•    Ten racers from six nations to battle for the most prestigious junior offroad title
•    LifeLive TN5 buggies prepared by the expert Belgian team provide parity and driver training for 13-to-16-year-old drivers
•    World Rally Championship star Thierry Neuville hosted pre-season shakedown at Spa-Francorchamps

The third season of the FIA Cross Car Academy Trophy bursts into action this weekend (June 24-25) at the picturesque Matschenberg Offroad Arena near Dresden, Germany, with 10 bright young talents vying for success.

Open to drivers between the age of 13 and 16 years old, Cross Car events deliver the perfect proving ground for young drivers who aspire towards a career in rallying, rallycross or autocross competition. The FIA Cross Car Academy Trophy provides a completely level playing field in the form of a fleet of identically-prepared LifeLive TN5 buggies designed, built and prepared by specialist constructor LifeLive, the expert Cross Car team managed by Yannick Neuville.

Each driver has a dedicated mechanic at every event, helping to maintain and refine the handling of the car throughout the fast and furious action. Meanwhile, the LifeLive team and the FIA together provide all of the drivers with top quality support, training and guidance to help realise their natural talent to the fullest.

The 2023 season began early with a two-day shakedown event held at LifeLive’s headquarters in Belgium, where the drivers were first fitted to their cars and introduced to the team who will be working to develop their skills throughout the year. Also present was LifeLive co-founder and enthusiastic Cross Car competitor Thierry Neuville, the 18-time FIA World Rally Championship event winner and five-time WRC vice-champion, who also takes an active role in the FIA Cross Car Academy Trophy programme.

The second day of shakedown saw the young drivers get to put their new cars through their paces at the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Together they were able to explore the performance and handling of the LifeLive TN5 as well as fine-tuning the position of their seats, pedals, gear shift and handbrake in readiness for the start of the new season.

Each LifeLive TN5 buggy is powered by a 75hp Yamaha MT07 engine, driving a 6-speed sequential transmission at the rear wheels. The rugged and durable driver safety cell is mounted on highly adjustable suspension which can be tailored to the rigours of the terrain at each of the five events on this season’s schedule.

Recently, the LifeLive TN5 has also been seen in action with Thierry Neuville, Max Verstappen and other leading talents at the wheel in promotional and competitive appearances.

As in both of the first two seasons of the FIA Cross Car Academy Trophy, the young stars will race in support to the senior categories in the FIA European Autocross Championship. This not only brings with it a wealth of experience on some of the most exciting and challenging offroad circuits in Europe, but also exposure to huge crowds of passionate fans, attendant media and the opportunity to watch the best teams and drivers in the discipline up close.

Each race weekend will bring plenty of seat time in which to learn and develop through the track sessions for the FIA Cross Car Academy Trophy competitors, with Warm-Up followed by timed Practice, Heat Races and a Final. Drivers take responsibility for their cars, ensuring that they are kept clean in between track sessions and giving feedback to their engineers to help hone the performance of their cars throughout the weekend.

Proof of the success of the FIA Cross Car Academy Trophy in developing young talent can already be seen from the progress of series alumni from its first two seasons. The inaugural series champion, Spaniard Gil Membrado, was recently signed as the youngest-ever rally driver to join the Red Bull athlete programme, competing in the 2023 Spanish Super Rally Championship at just 15 years of age alongside former WRC event-winning co-driver Carlos del Barrio. 

Reigning champion from 2022, Miguel Gayoso Vazquez, is also aiming high as a member of the LifeLive works team competing in the 2023 FIA European Cross Car Championship, while vice-champion Valentino Ledda has already won his first event in this year’s Italian national rallycross championship.

The registered competitors for the 2023 FIA Cross Car Academy Trophy include two returning competitors from 2022: Emilien Allart, who progressed from tenacious midfielder to genuine threat for victory in the course of last season, and Matteo Bernini, whose growth in pace and confidence was also enormously impressive. These two drivers must head to Matschenberg for the first round among the favourites in a field representing six nations in total.

The 820-metre long course of the Matschenberg Offorad Arena sits amid a tranquil forest setting in eastern Germany. The defining feature of the circuit is the vertiginous 30-metre elevation between the start/finish area and the sweeping corners at the top of the course, meaning that drivers face what appears to be a sheer climb at the start of each lap, and then a steep plunge down into the final hairpin.

Joining the FIA Cross Car Academy on the race card for the weekend will be the Cross Car Championship, Junior Buggies, Super 1600 and the spectacular bill-topping Super Buggies which boast as much as 800hp and four-wheel-drive. A full report from the weekend’s action will follow the close of the event.

Watch the Cross Car Academy video here! More information about the FIA XC Academy Trophy on the programme website.