Pirelli Star Driver was an initiative to support young rally drivers, organised by Pirelli and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).^[1]

History

For the first two years of the scheme, 2009 and 2010, five drivers were selected from four FIA Championships, one from the African Rally Championship, one from the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, two from the European Rally Championship and one from the Middle East Rally Championship. The driver selection process was conducted by each individual FIA region.

The five drivers then competed in six events of the World Rally Championship, driving in identical Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, prepared by Ralliart Italy.

The scheme was changed for the 2011 season. 16 drivers were nominated for a global shootout, from which six drivers were selected. They will compete in the new WRC Academy in Ford Fiesta R2s.

Drivers

Ott Tänak driving one of the Pirelli Star Driver cars on the 2010 Rally Finland.

Jarkko Nikara driving at 2009 Rally Finland

Year	Drivers	Representing
2011	Andrea Crugnola	Europe
	Craig Breen
	Fredrik Åhlin
	Jan Černý
	Brendan Reeves	Asia-Pacific
	Molly Taylor	Women & Motor Sport Commission
2010	Ott Tänak	Europe
	Alex Raschi
	Hayden Paddon	Asia-Pacific
	Peter Horsey	Africa
	Nicholai Georgiou	Middle East
2009	Jarkko Nikara	Europe
	Martin Semerád
	Mark Tapper	Asia-Pacific
	Nicos Thomas	Middle East
	Jon Williams	Africa

WRC results

Year	Driver	Car	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	WDC	Points
2009	Jarkko Nikara	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X	IRE	NOR	CYP	POR 41	ARG	ITA 11	GRE Ret	POL	FIN Ret	AUS	ESP 17	GBR 35		-	0
	Martin Semerád		IRE	NOR	CYP	POR 38	ARG	ITA Ret	GRE Ret	POL	FIN Ret	AUS	ESP Ret	GBR 14		-	0
	Mark Tapper		IRE	NOR	CYP	POR 28	ARG	ITA Ret	GRE 20	POL	FIN Ret	AUS	ESP Ret	GBR 17		-	0
	Nicos Thomas		IRE	NOR	CYP	POR Ret	ARG	ITA Ret	GRE Ret	POL	FIN Ret	AUS	ESP Ret	GBR 23		-	0
	Jon Williams		IRE	NOR	CYP	POR 23	ARG	ITA 28	GRE 18	POL	FIN 21	AUS	ESP 44	GBR 28		-	0
2010	Ott Tänak	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X	SWE	MEX	JOR	TUR Ret	NZL	POR Ret	BUL	FIN 18	GER 31	JPN	FRA 19	ESP	GBR 17	0	-
	Alex Raschi		SWE	MEX	JOR	TUR 27	NZL	POR 30	BUL	FIN 28	GER Ret	JPN	FRA 26	ESP	GBR 28	0	-
	Hayden Paddon		SWE	MEX	JOR	TUR 26	NZL	POR 20	BUL	FIN 21	GER 19	JPN	FRA 35	ESP	GBR 19	0	-
	Peter Horsey		SWE	MEX	JOR	TUR Ret	NZL	POR 35	BUL	FIN 40	GER 45	JPN	FRA Ret	ESP	GBR 38	0	-
	Nick Georgiou		SWE	MEX	JOR	TUR 29	NZL	POR 33	BUL	FIN 41	GER 43	JPN	FRA 48	ESP	GBR 33	0	-

WRC Academy Results

Year	Driver	Car	1	2	3	4	5	6	Pos.	Points
2011	Andrea Crugnola	Ford Fiesta R2	POR 7	ITA 6	FIN Ret	GER 3	FRA Ret	GBR 8	6th	35
	Craig Breen		POR Ret	ITA 8	FIN 2	GER 1	FRA Ret	GBR 1	1st	111
	Fredrik Åhlin		POR Ret	ITA 3	FIN Ret	GER 6	FRA 8	GBR 13	6th	35
	Jan Černý		POR Ret	ITA 4	FIN 5	GER 5	FRA Ret	GBR Ret	7th	33
	Brendan Reeves		POR 3	ITA 5	FIN 4	GER 13	FRA Ret	GBR 14	5th	37
	Molly Taylor		POR 8	ITA Ret	FIN 8	GER 14	FRA 5	GBR 5	11th	27

See also

• Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy

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References