The FIA Rally Star crews delivered another strong showing as the 2025 FIA Junior WRC Championship continued at Rally de Portugal. Taylor Gill and Daniel Brkic stormed to their second consecutive win with a commanding performance, while Max Smart bounced back in style to claim a season-best result alongside new co-driver Malcolm Read. In WRC2, Romet Jürgenson impressed with steady progress through a stacked field, taking another confident step forward in his Rally2 development.

Taylor Gill and Daniel Brkic continued their superb run of form, winning their second consecutive Junior WRC event in commanding style. After moving into the lead early on SS2, they maintained a dominant pace throughout the weekend while fending off pressure from rival Mille Johansson. The win sees Gill move level on 59 points with Johansson at the top of the standings, setting up an exciting battle heading into the final three rounds of the championship.

After a challenging start to the season in Sweden, Max Smart delivered an assured comeback in Portugal. With his sole dropped-points round now behind him, the young South African produced a composed drive across four demanding days to secure a strong fifth-place finish overall, and third in the WRC3 category. He was even in the fight for fourth before a bent steering arm forced him to ease off. Partnering with new co-driver Malcolm Read for the first time, Smart showed increased speed and confidence on gravel, marking a clear step forward in performance.

Romet Jürgenson and Siim Oja returned to WRC2 competition in their M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2. Rally de Portugal featured the toughest competition in the WRC2 category in 2025, with more than 40 entries. Despite the immense challenge, Romet continued to improve stage by stage, climbing through the order over the weekend. The pair set top-10 WRC2 stage times on Sunday, ultimately finishing 11th in WRC2 and 7th in the WRC2 Challenger category, marking another important step in their adaptation to Rally2 machinery.


Taylor Gill and Max Smart now turn their attention to the next round of the FIA Junior WRC Championship at the EKO Acropolis Rally Greece, taking place from 26–29 June. Known for its harsh gravel roads, searing summer temperatures, and unforgiving conditions, the Acropolis is a true test of endurance.

Meanwhile, Romet Jürgenson will take on the Jim Clark Rally on 23 May in a Rally2 car as part of his British Rally Championship campaign, supported by M-Sport. He will then continue his WRC2 campaign at Rally Italia Sardegna from 5–8 June.

FIA Rally Star Project Leader Jérôme Roussel said: “We leave Portugal with a lot of positives once again. Taylor continues to show exactly why he’s becoming a real title contender; his approach was smart but fast and allowed him to secure his second win of the season which is a well-earned result. Max also had a fantastic rally, delivering a faultless performance with real pace, which is even more impressive when you consider it was the first outing with his new co-driver Malcom Read. 

For Romet, this was a tough rally against extremely experienced competition. But he kept his head down and continued to build speed and confidence throughout the weekend. He showed strong pace on Sunday, and finishing 7th in the Challenger class is a really positive result. All three crews continue to improve round by round, and we look forward to the next challenge in Sardinia.”

Taylor Gill commented: “I’m really happy with the result. It was a tough rally with a lot of pressure, but Daniel and I stuck to our plan, managed the conditions well, and brought the car home cleanly. Mille was pushing us the whole way, so to come out on top, especially with my dad watching from the stages, made it even more special. The team’s been fantastic, and we’re learning more at every rally. Greece will be a huge challenge, but the aim is to keep scoring strong points and build on this momentum”

Max Smart said: “I’m feeling really good after Portugal. It was our first rally with Malcolm and we clicked straight away, he did an amazing job. We pushed hard, fought for each position, and even though we lost a bit of time after hitting a rock near the end, I’m proud of how we handled it. The pace and consistency were a big step forward, and I’ve really enjoyed being back on gravel. We’ll take what we learned here into Greece and keep building our pace.”

Romet Jürgenson stated: “Portugal was a real challenge with such a stacked WRC2 field, but it was a valuable learning experience. I focused on building confidence and understanding the car more with every stage. By Sunday, our pace had improved a lot, and I’m happy we came away with points and a clean run. It was a solid step forward, and I’m excited to build on this in Sardinia, where I feel more at home.”

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