15/01/2009
Five Pirelli Star Drivers to race at six WRC events, including the RallyRACC

The European Pirelli Star Driver Shoot Outs took place in October 2008 in Austria. This scheme is aimed at offering young drivers with little international experience the chance to take part in WRC events and reach world championship levels. Martin Semerad (18) from the Czech Republic and Jarkko Nikara (22) from Finland, together with three representatives from other parts of the world, will be able to show their real quality thanks to this fantastic initiative.

The selection in Austria was made by people related to the WRC, including former drivers Walter Röhrl and Michele Mouton, who assessed the abilities of the 18 young drivers nominated from the European Region. Among them was the Spaniard Yeray Lemes, who despite clocking acceptable times in the short rally they were able to run, was not selected due to problems with his Lancer, in addition to his poor English, an aspect which was of vital importance for the selection process, since one of the tests included a press conference in English.

Maybe the true merit of this ambitious plan is the lack of international and competition experience of some applicants, such as Martin Semerad, who was able to convince a demanding jury having only participated in 20 rallies (he debuted in 2007). Although the tests were carried out on a mixed surface, half asphalt and half gravel, the feat of the Czech driver is more than justified, considering the fact that he had only been able to race one gravel rally the week before, while he had only raced on asphalt in his career so far.

The second European driver, Jarkko Nikara, is a bit more experienced, having achieved some significant titles in his home-country, Finland, such as the Finnish Junior Championship in 2006, and a Group N runner-up position in the Finnish Rally Championship. His racing career started back in 2004.

The programme planned for the first Pirelli Star Driver season includes the participation in the Production World Rally Championship (P-WRC), most probably at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. The events in which they are going to take part are Portugal, Italy-Sardinia, Greece, Finland, the RallyRACC Catalunya-COSTA DAURADA and Wales-Great Britain. The Spanish race, organised by the RACC will be the only event raced on asphalt, since the rest of the meetings will be having a gravel surface.

Semerad and Nikara will be joined by Jon Williams (26) from South Africa, Nicos Thomas (21) from Cyprus and Mark Tapper (27) from New Zealand.