The MSA British Rally Championship has announced that the winner of the 2016 DMACK Junior BRC will win a subsidised prize drive in 2017 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy on five FIA World Rally Championship rounds.

The DMACK Junior BRC class will be open to all competitors under 26, and feature FIA-homologated R2 cars with a pre-determined number of tyres for each weekend to minimise costs and create level playing field for competitors.

While seven rallies will be contested, only six will actually count for the championship with the competitors dropping their worst result. There will be the additional Joker than can be played at any round, enabling the crews to collect double points, this is alongside the final round of the series in the Isle of Man that will also feature a double points scoring opportunity.

The 2016 Junior BRC champion will go on to the five-round 2017 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy that runs alongside the FIA World Rally Championship and benefit from pre-event testing as part of the package. The prize for the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy is a funded drive in an R5 on selected events in the 2018 WRC season.

DMACK have already committed to the 2016 BRC season having announced that it will be running Max Vatanen in a Ford Fiesta R5 in the DMACK colours for the season.

“In addition to supplying performance tyre products, the DMACK ethos is built around helping career-focussed drivers through the ranks of the sport.” said Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director. “The Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy has been hugely competitive and successful – proving the performance of our products on two-wheel-drive cars on the world’s toughest stages – and we are delighted to be able to link into that from our home rally championship. It’s a huge prize and one which we are sure will create some excellent competition.”

BRC Championship Manager Iain Campbell added: “We set out to create a junior championship that would help the best young drivers progress their careers and we are absolutely thrilled that DMACK’s superb prize confirms that the Junior BRC is the best place for young drivers in this country and abroad to compete next year.

“DMACK were one of the first to signal their intentions by announcing that they would run Max [Vatanen] next year in the BRC1 category and from there we have seen many drivers commit themselves to what is going to be a fantastic series.

“Now to have DMACK’s support for the Junior BRC is fantastic, not only for the championship but more importantly for the young drivers who will hope to use it as a launch pad for their careers. The winner will earn themselves an amazing opportunity to progress onto the International stage, while all the drivers and co-drivers in the Junior BRC will be supported in their development by the coaches and tutors of the MSA Academy.”

Additionally, if the winner of the 2016 DMACK Junior BRC chooses against taking the 2017 drive, they can claim an alternative £20,000 cash prize which can be put towards a programme of their choice.