Alright, so Rally de Portugal. This year—scratch that—2025, May 15th through 18th. Why’s it a big deal? It’s the first gravel gig for the FIA Rally Star kids. Or maybe not kids, but you get it. Romet Jürgenson’s having his third WRC2 bash, while Taylor Gill and Max Smart are hitting their second Junior WRC. And wow, gravel. Sounds messy already, right?
Been happening since ’73, Rally de Portugal is like THE event everyone’s buzzing about. Fast forward to now, you’ve got twenty-four stages, rough as heck, 344.50 km of gravel that’s about as predictable as a puppy with a firework. Drivers gotta adapt on the go. Fun or terrifying? You choose.
So these FIA Rally Star dudes—Romet, Taylor, and Max—are jumping onto this wild ride. Both Junior WRC and WRC2. It’s like double pressure. Each one wants to strut their stuff. Lessons learned, egos amped, all eyes on them in this prestigious mess.
Romet’s back on gravel with his Rally2 ride. Mastering the snow in Sweden, nailed some wins in the British Rally scene, and had some star moments in the Islas Canarias gig. This gravel stuff though? It’s his jam. The call? Convert chaos into clean drives. Easier said than done.
And, oh boy, the competition’s fierce this year. With, like, over 45 entries in WRC2, Romet’s aiming to build up that speed while breaking barriers. Pay attention, gravel’s the name of the game.
Switching gears, Taylor Gill’s walking into Portugal with swagger after icing it in Sweden. Now the real challenge: gravel. They had a couple of test days in Portugal, a no-pressure situation with the FIA European Rally Trophy. I mean, practice makes perfect—or so they say.
Whatever, confidence is key, and Gill’s set to tune his setup with the M‑Sport crew. He’s got the momentum. Can he keep the winning streak?
Max Smart’s switching things up—the guy’s got a new co-driver, Malcolm Read. From wrestling with Swedish snow to gravel galore. More training, data crunching, the works. It’s about shaking off that dropped score and playing the long game.
Honestly, Max has that motocross DNA, so tracks with more dirt don’t scare him. With his mom cheering from the sidelines, it’s game time—steady and cleannnnn.
Project leader Jérôme Roussel throws down the real talk: Rally Portugal’s the ultimate test. Precision, endurance, adaptability. That’s the gig. Who’s got it? Taylor’s got groove, Romet’s speeding up the charts, and Max? Oh, he’s brewing something.
Romet spills the beans—Canaries taught them heaps. Tyres, long stages, stay chill. Portugal’s epic 344km on gravel screams hustle. Crossing fingers for no car scraps and nothing but pace. Temp how you’re doing on Vieira do Minho and Fafe, and you’ll know if you’re winning the gravel round.
Taylor? Sweden’s trophy gave him a confidence boost. Portugal spells new challenges. Deep ruts? Rough roads? Bring it on. Excitement skyrockets when the crowds yell as their car flies over that iconic jump.
Max? Malcolm’s vibe is zen-like. Mum’s backing him. Portugal’s task? Manage the crunch, keep cool under pressure, rack up some Junior WRC points for bragging rights.
And there we go. Want the nerdy details on FIA Rally Star? Hunt them down online. Follow @FIARallyStar to snoop on their adventures.
