FIA Region I hosted the fifth edition of the International Best Young Driver Contest in Nivelles, Belgium last week.

22 Best Young Driver finalists from the FIA Region I network participated in the international final, after qualifying in national rounds in their home country.

Raffael Kraus from ÖAMTC Austria won first place, followed by Gauthier Vandenbunder from RACB Belgium who came in second place and Christof Raes, also from RACB Belgium in third. The champion of the contest will receive two F1 Grand Prix tickets in the upcoming 2025 season as the main prize.

The contest gathers young drivers aged 18 to 26 to highlight their excellent driving skills and knowledge. Some of the exercises included timed driving in slalom, driving off-road and evasive braking exercises.

“It is incredible to witness the driving skills and abilities of the young people participating in Best Young Driver. We are proud to organise this contest each year and to contribute to training the next generation of skilled drivers,” said Laurianne Krid, FIA Region I Director General.

“The new generation of drivers navigates a world of choices—cars, bikes, walking, public transportation. Before embarking on their journeys, they must assess the best mobility option, as each choice carries its risks. Through this challenge, we aim to elevate the global level of road safety awareness,” said Frédéric Maeyens, General Manager of the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium (RACB).

The International Best Young Driver Contest originated from AMZS Slovenia in 2017 and has proven to be a successful opportunity to connect with younger audiences.

The goal of the contest is to encourage safer driving skills among young people, who are often overrepresented in road casualties. The contest serves as an opportunity to showcase that young people can drive safely and responsibly.

This year’s contest was kindly hosted by the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium (RACB) and was supported by the FIA Safe and Sustainable Mobility Programme funded by the FIA Foundation.