Jon Williams, from Cape Town, South Africa, has won the 2008 Pirelli Star Driver promotion and will represent the African region on six events in the 2009 FIA World Rally Championship. The 25-year-old becomes the first of five young drivers to benefit from the Pirelli Star Driver initiative, which is aimed at investing in the growth of the sport and, in particular, helping young drivers reach World Championship level.
The Pirelli Star Driver scheme is a worldwide search for five young rally drivers from the 2008 and 2009 FIA Regional Championships, with one driver emerging from each of the Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific regions. Two competitors will be selected from the European region. The successful drivers from each year will then contest six World Championship rallies the following season in a Group N or Super 2000 car supplied and serviced under an FIA contract with a specialist preparation company. In 2009, the Pirelli Star Drivers will compete in the rallies in Portugal, Italy, Greece, Finland, Spain and Great Britain.
Williams was drawn to the FIA African Rally Championship for the first time because of the national promotion of the Pirelli Star Driver scheme in the region. The South African, who is in his fifth year in the sport, contested the series in a S2000 VW Polo, winning the Pirelli Star Driver category on three of the four qualifying rounds.
Williams, the South African Western Province Champion, said: “This is a dream come true and an opportunity to show what I can do on the world stage. It was the first time for us on the African Rally Championship events and we are not used to such rough roads; it was a real eye-opener on every round. We had to think fast and adapt quickly, as you have to drive more with your head in those conditions. I sacrificed a lot of things to do this, and so did my parents, but I have learned and matured a lot and it's certainly not been as easy as we thought, but it's been a real experience. Looking ahead, if I can impress a few people and get a full time drive, that would be the main goal; this is something I want really badly.”
Williams, who is navigated by his father on events in South Africa, will contest the six 2009 FIA World Rally Championship events with co-driver Pierre Arries, who has only previously competed with Williams on this year's African Rally Championship rounds.