After two successful years as the FIA WRC Academy, the one-make feeder series to the World Rally Championship has been renamed as the FIA Junior WRC Championship. The Junior WRC will be run in partnership by motorsport's governing body, the FIA and the Junior WRC appointed vehicle supplier, M-Sport Ltd.

The Junior WRC Championship is the first step on the ladder for aspiring young rally drivers wishing to showcase their talent on the world stage. In consultation with the FIA and M-Sport - who will provide expert advice and guidance - the Champion will be given the opportunity to contest a minimum of six events in the 2014 FIA WRC 2 Championship driving a Ford Fiesta R5.

Designed to be accessible and cost-effective, competitors registering for the FIA Junior WRC Championship will be supplied with identical Fiesta R2s prepared and maintained by M-Sport?s central European base in Poland. To further encourage equal competition and showcase the ability of each individual competitor, every Fiesta will once again be fitted with control tyres. In 2012, the fixed fee was £119,500 and the exact figure for 2013 is yet to be confirmed.

As well as learning their craft on the stages, competitors will continue to take part in a comprehensive training and tuition programme to maximise their potential both in and out of the cockpit.

The 2013 Junior WRC will be contested over six rounds of the WRC, with drivers counting their best five scores towards the Championship. The series kicks off with three gravel rounds in Portugal, Greece and Finland before heading to the challenging asphalt in Germany and France. The season-finale takes the crews to Spain for a mixed-surface event.

To be eligible to take part, drivers must be born on or after 1 January 1986 and have not competed as a Priority 1 (P1) driver in an FIA World Rally Championship event.

For further information please contact the Junior WRC Project Manager by emailing junior@wrc.com or by calling +44 (0)1865 557522