Abu Dhabi Racing junior driver Mohammed Al Mutawaa will compete in a full campaign of the FIA Junior World Rally Championship (J-WRC) in the 2015 season, behind the wheel of the Citroen DS3 R3.
Al Mutawaa, 21, raced in the WRC3 feeder series this year in Germany and Spain and will move to JWRC level for a full season.
Al Mutawaa, who will race in the Dubai Rally this weekend, also performed well in this season’s Middle East Rally Championship (Merc), recording three consecutive victories (Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan) in his 2WD class.
“Al Mutawaa has proved himself with exceptional skill and discipline in our ‘Abu Dhabi Racing – Citroen Middle East Trophy’ programme and he has shown that he is dedicated to building a new UAE generation of rally drivers,” said Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, chairman of Abu Dhabi Racing.
Al Mutawaa said: “This is a dream opportunity for me and I would like to thank Sheikh Khalid for the grant provided to us through the ADR programme.
“I hope to use this opportunity to build my career in the right way and to raise the UAE flag high by representing ADR in the Middle East and the world.”
In addition to the J-WRC, Al Mutawaa will participate in most of the Merc rounds next season.
The J-WRC is considered as the breeding ground for rally stars.
Aimed at drivers of age 28 or under, the series is considered a cost-effective route for drivers who have ambitions to reach the WRC series.
Previous winners of the J-WRC include nine-time WRC champion Sebastien Loeb (2001), Dani Sordo (2005), current champion Sebastien Ogier (2008) and Martin Prokop (2009).
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