WRC women’s driver development programme winner selected

Claire Schonborn has claimed a completely funded drive within the Junior World Rally Championship after successful the Past Rally Girls’s Driver Growth Programme shootout at Rally Sweden.

The WRC carried out a world search to unearth the subsequent feminine rally star final 12 months with the programme reaching its end result in Sweden.

A bunch of 15 finalists have been whittled down to 3, that includes Schonborn (Germany), Lyssia Baudet (Belgium) and Suvi Jyrkiainen (Finland) that contested the Central European Rally last October, driving JWRC-spec Ford Fiesta Rally3 automobiles.

A jury was unable to separate Schonborn and Baudet, which prompted the pair to contest a shootout on Sweden’s snow levels.

Competing on snow for the primary time, hillclimb racer Schonborn managed to edge her rival Baudet to complete seventh within the JWRC class, ending 2m56.3s forward of the Belgian.

Schonborn’s success got here regardless of struggling intercom failure on the opening stage that required a repair on a highway part throughout Friday’s leg.

“It’s unbelievable and in the meanwhile I can’t realise what we’ve finished, so I have to sleep for a day to grasp what occurred,” stated Schonborn.

“To be sincere till the final stage it was not that clear for me as a result of we had a niche, but it surely solely takes one puncture and the hole is finished. After the final stage we have been cheering however till that second it was exhausting competitors.

“The primary stage on Friday morning, the grip stage modified a lot and almost each nook was a brand new grip stage. It was actually complicated at first however we bought snug with each metre that we drove and now I’m completely satisfied.

“It was a giant pleasure to be a part of Rally Sweden and we’re so completely satisfied we completed with none injury, that was the principle objective, however now the exhausting work begins, to take part in the remainder of the season for the Junior WRC.”

Schonborn and co-driver Jara Hain will now start to organize for a primary rally on gravel in Portugal (15-18 Could) earlier than subsequent visits to Greece, Finland and Central Europe.

“I’ve by no means actually pushed on gravel earlier than, just one kilometre in a single stage however that may be a new problem I’ve and I can’t wait,” Schonborn added.