The FIA Rally Star Training Season is rapidly taking shape with confirmation of the Training Camp and event schedule.

Some of the most promising young rally drivers representing Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and the Americas will gather in Sardinia for intensive training and evaluation sessions from May 21-June 1.

They are the winners of the five FIA Rally Star Continental Finals, plus the winner of the FIA Rally Star Women’s Final.

Between June and November, the six aspiring future FIA World Rally Championship winners will contest six national or regional-level events on both gravel and tarmac in identical Ford Fiesta Rally3s prepared by M-Sport Poland and running on Pirelli tyres.

At the completion of the FIA Star Training Season, the four best performing drivers will secure a dream opportunity by contesting the FIA Junior WRC Championship in 2024.

FIA Rally Star American and Women’s Finals switch to Italy

Prior to the Sardinian training camp, the FIA Rally Star American and Women’s Finals are now scheduled to take place in Italy from May 1-4.

Relocated from Peru to Uruguay, the switch to Italy and the Maggiora Offroad Arena in Piemont, northeast of the city of Turin, is the result of logistical issues.

While every effort was made to maintain the Polideportivo Motor Maldonado off-road motorsport complex in Uruguay as the venue for the FIA Rally Star American and Women’s Finals, moving to Italy makes for a more accessible location for the Women’s Final and will ensure that there will be no delay to the start of the FIA Rally Star Training Season. 

The FIA Rally Star American Final - featuring participants from South and North America - had been due to take place from April 30-May 2 with the Women’s Final following on May 3. The FIA Rally Star American Final will now run from May 1-3 ahead of the Women’s Final on May 4.

On top of the #RallyAtHome Challenges winners, eight ASNs from South and North America (Argentina, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay) will send contestants to the FIA Rally Star American Final with a total of 42 drivers expected to take part. The FIA will cover their travel costs. 

What’s on the agenda during the FIA Rally Star Training Camp 

The FIA Rally Star Training Camp consists of theoretical sessions covering event reconnaissance, rally car engineering, regulations and team organisation. 

There will be practical activities including testing on gravel and tarmac, physical and mental training, recce practice, media training and team observation through spending time with mechanics. 

The FIA Rally Star Training Season members will then take part in the reconnaissance for Rally Italia Sardegna at the same time as the drivers contesting round six of the FIA World Rally Championship (June 1-4). 

Media activities in and around the Rally Italia Sardegna Service Park will be the focus on the final day of the FIA Rally Star Training Camp on June 1 and will include taking part in a press conference and being interviewed by accredited media.

Prior to arriving in Sardinia, the six FIA Rally Star Training Season participants will take part in a series of webinars aimed at getting them fully prepared for the Training Camp.

FIA Rally Star Training Season event schedule confirmed

The FIA Rally Star Training Season will feature six events, four on gravel and two on Tarmac. The six FIA Rally Star Training Season participants will compete in identical Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally3s run by M-Sport Poland. The event calendar is as follows:

•    Rally San Marino, Italy (gravel), June 16-17
•    Rallye Weiz, Austria (Tarmac), July 13-15
•    Rally Nova Gorica, Slovenia (Tarmac), September 22-24
•    Rally Saarema, Estonia (Gravel), October 6-7
•    RallyRACC, Spain (Gravel), October 20-21
•    Lausitz Rallye, Germany (Gravel), November 9-11

A test will take place ahead of each event along with an extensive post-rally debrief following afterwards. 

All costs are covered by the FIA with the best four drivers at the completion of the FIA Rally Star Training Season securing a fully funded season in the FIA Junior WRC Championship in 2024. 

The FIA Rally Star Training Season events have been specifically chosen to equip the drivers with experience of a wide variety of conditions and circumstances. 

Robert Reid, FIA Deputy President for Sport said: “Firstly, I would like to express our gratitude to Ivan Dibos Mier, President of the Touring Automóvil Club del Perú, and to Jorge Tomasi, President of the Automovil Club del Uruguay, for all their efforts to bring the FIA Rally Star American and Women’s Finals to their countries. The enthusiasm and passion from the Peruvian and Uruguayan teams would have made for a fantastic event in both countries, had it not been for reasons beyond their control requiring a change of venue. 

“We now look forward to eight ASNs being represented in Maggiora by some promising young drivers and we thank the Maggiora Off Road Arena and the Automobile Club d’Italia for their assistance in the organisation of the event.

“Beyond these final decider rounds, we are excited to announce details of the FIA Rally Star Training Camp and the six events the winners of the Continental Finals and Women’s Final will contest during the upcoming FIA Rally Star Training Season. The team has worked hard to develop what will be a comprehensive FIA Rally Star Training Camp itinerary. The six events have been chosen to give the drivers the opportunity to sample a variety of conditions that are likely to be encountered in the Junior WRC Championship. 

“We are grateful for the support of our partners and, specifically, Automobile Club d’Italia and our colleagues at Rally Italia Sardegna for all their assistance. We also extend our thanks to the organisers of the six rallies who will welcome us from June to November.”