Five drivers named on extended roster
We will be expanding our Customer Racing Junior Driver program in 2020 with the addition of rally drivers for the first time. Five drivers have been selected based on their previous results, as well as the ability to work with engineers and their professional approach to rallying.
Our Team Principal Andrea said: “The Customer Racing Junior Driver initiative proved highly successful last year in circuit racing, so it was only natural to expand the program into rallying for 2020. We have five incredibly talented young guys, who have already shown pace in their careers.”
Aspiring to shine
Reigning WRC 2 champion Pierre-Louis Loubet will return to the wheel of a Hyundai as one of the nominated drivers. He will be looking to make a strong impression following on from his 2019 success.
He will be joined by two drivers aiming to succeed him as champion; Ole Christian Veiby and Nikolay Gryazin, who are both competing in the series this year in our upgraded i20 R5 ‘20 under the Hyundai Motorsport N banner.
To complete our inaugural Customer Racing Junior Rally team, Callum Devine and Grégoire Munster will bolster the line-up.
Devine previously won Motorsport Ireland’s Billy Coleman Award, as the best young rallying talent in the country. He also proved his potential in 2019 with an overall podium in Rally Hungary (ERC) on his debut in the i20 R5.
Munster will commence his first full campaign in an R5 car, having claimed back-to-back junior titles in the Belgian national championship, driving R2-spec machinery.
On the ladder to success
All drivers will be able to take advantage of support from our Customer Racing engineers, aimed at developing their driving throughout the season. They will have the mentoring of our experienced WRC crews, and the opportunity for extra training to help them further their motorsport careers.
“The group is a good mix of those who already have experience with R5 cars, and those who are relatively new to the category,” added Andrea. “The five drivers we have selected will be able to learn from each other, as much as from our engineers. With the support afforded by the Junior Driver program, and the new performance upgrades included in the i20 R5 ’20, I am sure they will be able to continue their excellent progress towards the pinnacle of the sport in the World Rally Championship.”
Customer Racing Junior Driver Mini-Profiles
Pierre-Louis Loubet
Age: 22
Nationality: French
Career Highlights:
Winner 2019 WRC 2 Championship
Ole-Christian Veiby
Age: 23
Nationality: Norwegian
Career Highlights:
Winner 2019 WRC 2 Rally Sweden
Winner 2017 Asia Pacific Rally Championship Pacific Cup
2nd 2017 Asia Pacific Rally Championship
2nd 2015 Junior World Rally Championship
Nikolay Gryazin
Age: 22
Nationality: Russian
Career Highlights:
4th 2019 WRC 2 Championship
2nd 2018 European Rally Championship
Callum Devine
Age: 25
Nationality: Irish
Career Highlights:
3rd overall 2019 Rally Hungary
Winner 2017 Junior British Rally Championship
Grégoire Munster
Age: 21
Nationality: Luxembourger
Career Highlights:
Winner 2019 Junior Belgian Rally Championship
Winner 2018 Junior Belgian Rally Championship
