- Romet Jurgensen leads FIA Junior WRC title chase after four rounds
- Taylor Gill starts the Acropolis Rally in second place, eight points behind.
- Max Smart aims to build Sardinia podium on rough gravel track
- Jose ‘Avito’ Caparo aims for no-fault performance in Junior WRC season finale
The 68th edition of the Acropolis Rally brings the 2024 FIA Junior WRC Championship to a close, with two of the four FIA Rally Star drivers in contention for the coveted title and a spot in the 2025 WRC2 prize race.
Despite 2024 being their first World Championship season, Romet Jürgensen and Taylor Gill, along with fellow drivers Sime Oya and Daniel Brkić, have put in a strong performance in the Pirelli-equipped Ford Fiesta Rally 3 and will start the Junior WRC finale in Greece in first and second places.
While the double points system keeps the title race alive, Jurgensen and Gill’s achievements cannot be understated, as both drivers entered the FIA Rally Star Process through grassroots evaluation events run by their respective ASNs, the Estonian Motor Racing Federation and Motorsport Australia.
After successfully completing the 2023 FIA Rally Star Training Season and moving on to Junior WRC in 2024, Jürgenson and Gill will start the EKO Acropolis Rally on Thursday, ready to put into practice all the knowledge, advice and guidance they have received from experts in rallying, sports fitness and psychology. Even if the two relatively new drivers ultimately fall short in their respective Junior WRC title quests, they are set for a bright future in the sport and a second Junior WRC campaign in 2025 as part of the FIA Rally Star initiative.
FIA Vice President for Sport Robert Reid, FIA Vice President for European Sport Anna Nordkvist, WRC Commission Chair Pernilla Solberg and FIA Road Sports Director Andrew Wheatley We will all be attending the EKO Acropolis Rally to watch the FIA Rally Star drivers we have supported since the project’s inception compete in the Junior WRC season finale.
EKO Acropolis Rally 2024 – What to expect from FIA Rally Star drivers
In a departure from the traditional format of a start and opening superspecial stage in Athens, this year’s Acropolis Rally will start from Lamia, a service park and ceremonial finish location, before heading south from Lamia to the Greek capital for two stages. One of the main advantages of this move is that fans who gather at the end of the superspecial on Saturday will be able to see the finish of stage two. The superspecial location, which uses one of Greece’s main highways and offers free entry, has been chosen to be easily accessible to as many fans as possible, including those living in Athens, central Greece and the Peloponnese region.
Following the shakedown and ceremonial start on Thursday, the first stage on Friday consists of three stages running on either side of the service at Lamia. At 135.02km, it is the longest stage of the event.
The second stage on Saturday starts in Lengini, the longest of the rally at 28.67km, marking the start of the southbound journey to Loutraki, where there will be a tyre fitting zone for the modified versions of Thiba and Agi Theodori. The three morning stages will be held again in the afternoon, before the EKO SSS, which starts at 21:05 local time.
The previously unused Inohori test train will make its final route stop on Sunday, visiting the Eleftherohori section on both sides of the Lamia Line twice.
FIA Rally Star Latest News and Views
- The four FIA Rally Star drivers completed a day of testing in Greece on Sunday in preparation for their maiden Acropolis Rally start.
- Romet JurgensenAfter finishing second in Sweden and first in Croatia, he tops the provisional FIA Junior WRC standings with 69 points.
- After his groundbreaking Junior WRC win in Finland last month, Taylor Gill He is second in the league, eight points behind teammate Jurgensen.
- Following the Finland Rally, Jurgenson He took part in the Hummus Paide Rally in his home country of Estonia, finishing third in his class driving a Ford Fiesta Rally 3.
- Max SmartHaving visited the Acropolis Rally in 2022 on a fact-finding mission, he took a podium at the Rally Italia Sardegna, another tough gravel event on the Junior WRC roster.
- Jose ‘Avito’ Caparo I’ve been busy training at home and preparing for my Acropolis Rally debut.
FIA Rally Star Acropolis Rally pre-quote
FIA Rally Star Project Leader Jerome Roussel Said: “It’s incredible to think that at the final event of the FIA Junior WRC Championship season, two drivers, Romet and Taylor, have taken first and second places in the preliminary standings. These are guys coming from grassroots motorsport. Of course, it wouldn’t mean much if they didn’t make the most of their potential this weekend. But whatever happens, we will be proud of everything we have achieved this season. This is thanks not only to the talent and determination of these two young drivers, but also to the hard work and meticulous preparation of the entire FIA Rally Star team and to the support of all our partners and ASN who have made this adventure possible.
“The Acropolis Rally is of course a tough challenge and finding the balance between car preservation and performance won’t be easy, but we know what Romet and Taylor are capable of and we will give them our full support this weekend. For Max and Abito, the Acropolis Rally is another great opportunity to gain experience and we look forward to seeing how they develop and learn new lessons throughout the event. As we say in rallies, anything can happen, but our drivers are well prepared and I know they will do everything they can to achieve the best result.”
Romet Jurgensen Said: “It’s clear that the goal is to win the Junior WRC title, but this year it will be one of the toughest challenges. After winning double points in the last rally, the championship standings are really open, so the final result is really important and we have to think more in the long term. We also have to think about the unique terrain and challenges of the Acropolis Rally, which we haven’t experienced before. It’s a difficult compromise because we have to think about where we can push for stage win points, but elsewhere we have to be smart. But we will give 100 per cent to win the title and make the whole FIA Rally Stars programme proud.”
Taylor Gill Said: “The Acropolis Rally is going to be incredibly tough, incredibly rough and incredibly difficult so it’s going to be more about survival than agility on the stages. The fact that it’s a championship event means we definitely have to keep one eye on it, but ultimately our aim is just to get through and have a clean event. If we give it our all and stay smart and consistent to get to the finish like we’ve been doing all year, everything will take care of itself. We’re going to go into it with a never-give-up attitude and try to keep our noses clean.”
Max Smart: “It’s a really rough gravel rally, similar to Sardinia in some ways, and it’s been a really fun rally. I feel like the rough gravel events really suit my current skillset. I’ve learned a lot from the rallies this year and last year, and this rally is where I can put it all together. It’s been an amazing year so far, and I’ve done a lot better than I thought I would at the beginning of the season. I’m still new to the game, but I’ve learned a lot.
“Greece is a very special place for me. It was my first time going to a WRC event in 2022 and I remember all the new and exciting emotions I felt. I couldn’t believe how big it was, the sound of the cars, all the sensations I had never experienced before. I remember going with my dad on the Tarzan stage that we will use this year and seeing my first Rally1 car go by gave me goosebumps. I want to go back to Greece and have fun, push and see what I can do.”
Jose ‘Avito’ Caparo Said: “My goal is to just remember all the good things I’ve learned and avoid mistakes as much as possible, especially during the first two days when the rally is expected to be really tough. I’m aiming to have a really clean event and gain as much experience as possible for the future.”
EKO Acropolis Rally in numbers
Stage distance: 305.30km
Total distance: 1392.24km
Number of steps: 15
FIA Junior WRC Championship Event Calendar Refresher
The 2024 FIA Junior WRC Championship will consist of five rounds as follows:
- Rally Sweden (snow/ice), February 15-18
- Croatia Rally (Tarmac), April 18-21
- Rally Italia Sardinia (Gravel), May 30-June 2
- SECTOR RALLY FINLAND (Gravel), 1-4 August
- EKO Acropolis Rally Greece (Gravel), 5-8 September
FIA Rally Star Drivers (Acropolis Rally Starting Number Order)
#58 Romet Jurgenson (24, Estonia) / Co-driver: Siim Oja (EST)
#59 Taylor Gill (20, Australia) / Co-driver: Daniel Brkić (Australia)
#66 Max Smart (21, South Africa) / Co-driver: Cameron Fair (GBR)
#68 Jose ‘Avito’ Caparo (27, Peru) / Co-Driver: Esther Gutierrez (ESP)
Be The Next One series to watch on YouTube
that Be next A YouTube series follows the FIA Rally Star drivers throughout the 2023 FIA Rally Star Training Season, providing fascinating insights into their achievements, complete with a full playlist. here.
