Pontus Tidemand ready for JWRC
After a successful WRC debut in Rally Sweden, it’s now decided that there will be more world championship rallies for Pontus Tidemand through a second second season in the Junior World Championships. Last year’s effort gave him a third place overall and this year victory is the goal.
“I’m definitely looking forward to getting the chance to drive another season in JWRC. You never know what might happen in rally, but I’ve got the experience from last year and I’m obviously aiming for the overall victory”, Pontus says.
This is the thirteenth year that World Rally Championship’s supplementary junior class is driven and it offers a good opportunity for young, promising drivers to collect international experience. Over the years, well known names like Sébastien Loeb, Sébastien Ogier and PG Andersson have participated. New for this season is that after two years as WRC Academy, the class has now been given back it’s old name Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC). The winner will recieve the title Junior World Champion and will also get to participate in six WRC rallies with a Ford Fiesta R5 during the 2014 season.
With gold in the Swedish National Championship Rally Sprint and victory in the first rally in the Swedish Rally Championship, Pontus have had a successful cooperation with experienced co-driver Ola Fløene. Everything has been working perfectly for them in the car and they will continue their teamwork during JWRC as well.
This year’s JWRC season consists of six events, all located in Europe, with start in Portugal in April. Then follows Greece and Finland, all first three on gravel. After that it’s all about tarmac during following races in Germany and France and it’s a combination of gravel and tarmac in the season finale in Spain. All participants in the class all drives the same type of car, a Ford Fiesta R2, and they are all run by Ford M-Sport.
“I’m really looking forward to Rally Portugal and within a week or so, we will reveal more about the 2013 season”, finishes 22 year old Pontus Tidemand.
Junior World Rally Championship 2013
Vodafone Rally de Portugal 11-14 April
Acropolis Rally 31 May – 2 June
Neste Oil Rally Finland 1 – 3 August
ADAC Rallye Deutschland 22 – 25 August
Rallye de France-Alsace 3 – 6 October
RallyRACC-Rally de Espana 24 – 27 October