Dream to reality for three Beyond Rally finalists

After an intense three-day evaluation which concluded today (Wednesday 18 September) at M-Sport Poland, Krakow, Lyssia Baudet (Belgium), Suvi Jyrkiäinen (Finland) and Claire Schönborn (Germany) beat off intense competition from 12 other candidates to take the next step with the initiative and contest the penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship. From there, the ultimate prize of a season in the 2025 FIA Junior World Championship is at stake for one lucky contestant, a dream come true for any aspiring rally driver.

Launched earlier this year by WRC Promoter, the three-part Women’s Driver Development Programme is part of the Beyond Rally initiative, and is designed to boost female representation at the highest levels of rallying and provide a stepping stone for emerging female drivers.

Fifteen contestants from all corners of the globe assembled at M-Sport Poland’s Krakow headquarters to begin a rigorous analysis of their abilities. Each driver was put to the test, assessed and scored on all aspects of the sport. Facing a series of demanding challenges, the opening day comprised of media skills, technical ability and fitness evaluations. The second day consisted of asphalt driving skills and pacenote ability assessments before the programme transitioned to gravel for the final assessments today.

Then, the independent judging panel, made up of a wide range of experts from various fields of the sport, had the enviable task of selecting just three drivers to go through to the next stage of the Programme. After much deliberation from the jury, the lucky winners were announced on this evening.

Whilst each participant can be proud of making it to this stage of the rogramme, the finalists stood out among the competition, demonstrating exceptional talent and dedication to taking their careers to the next level and making the most of the next phase, the opportunity to contest a round of the WRC in the Fiesta Rally3. The finalists will have a pre-event test ahead of Central European Rally and will work in sync with M-Sport Poland to prepare for the fixture.

Kicking her career off on the circuits, Lyssia Baudet transitioned to rallying in 2022 and secured fourth place in the Clio Trophy Belgium in her debut season. The ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup beckoned in 2024 for the 21-year-old Belgian.

“It's amazing, I feel like I am in a dream but I know that it is only the start of the adventure and I have a lot of work to do, but I am ready for this and I am very thankful,” said Baudet. “I would like to congratulate the other candidates, the level was very high. It’s been an amazing opportunity for us all."

Hailing from Finland, 24-year-old Suvi Jyrkiäinen was another to begin her driving career on the circuits, swiftly moving into the Finnish Rally Championship, and spending two seasons behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta tackling the Finnish Ladies Cup.

“Well, I'm speechless,” remarked Jyrkiäinen. “I was happy with my driving throughout the days but I wasn’t sure if the other things were enough, but I am really happy. It's really incredible, I cannot imagine myself there in the WRC but maybe you know it will sink in in a few days.”

Claire Schönborn’s career began in the ADAC Slalom Youngster Cup where she became vice-champion, before opting to focus on hillclimbs in Germany for several years. From there, the 25-year-old headed for the ADAC Opel Electric Rally Cup.

“Of course, I am so happy, I didn’t think that I was picked up, I'm speechless, it feels like a dream,” she commented. "There are so many girls with so much experience in rally, so the level was really high. I didn’t think about being the chosen one of the three girls so, yes, I am so happy.”

“For us, it was at the end, very difficult to make the choice. We hope of course that it was the right one, we will see on the next stage of the process at the Central European Rally,” enthused WRC Promoter’s Senior Director of Sport Peter Thul.

“Each one of the finalists has been exceptional. We know their CV, but some of the applicants had no experience to, say, drive on gravel at all, and they have really surprised us here. They all delivered a fantastic performance, I must say the 15 here were the correct drivers to be selected.

“Now though, a WRC event is waiting and it’s a very tough Tarmac rally with changing weather conditions through Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria. But this training camp here in Poland offered a variety of road surfaces, so I think they will be well prepared.”