This weekend, 19-year-old Swede Mille Johansson kicks off his first full season in the FIA World Rally Championship as the Junior WRC begins on home soil at Rally Sweden in Umeå. Together with his co-driver Johan Grönvall, Mille is aiming for the coveted world title.
“It feels amazing to have taken the step up to the WRC, which has been my goal since the beginning of my career. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped us along the way,” says Mille Johansson.
“It’s going to be really exciting to get the season underway. The WRC is where most drivers and co-drivers aspire to be, and now we’re here, so it’s going to be a fantastic year. Our goal is to gain valuable experience for the future and push for victory by the end of the season,” adds Johan.
Mille and Johan won the FIA Junior European Championship (Junior ERC) last year, earning them a full season in the WRC series. However, they had already made a guest appearance in the Junior WRC in Sweden last year to prepare for the future—a debut that ended with a victory.
This year’s Junior WRC consists of five rounds, starting on snow and ice in Sweden. The series then continues on gravel in southern Europe, with events in Portugal and Greece. In late summer, the legendary Finnish WRC rally awaits before the season finale on asphalt at the Central European Rally.
The winner of the Junior WRC earns a season in WRC2, the second-highest tier of the World Rally Championship, driving for the Ford-backed M-Sport team.
“Our goal is to win the Junior WRC this year, but it’s going to be tough. There are several challenging events and many experienced drivers in the championship, so we’ve developed a strategy to be in contention for the title,” Mille continues.
Rally Sweden kicks off on Thursday with a stage at The Red Barn Arena in central Umeå. A total of 18 stages across Västerbotten will be contested until Sunday. In the Junior WRC, where all crews compete in identical four-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars from M-Sport Poland, 12 teams will take the start in Umeå.
“It’s always the most fun to compete at home in Sweden, with so many fans and supporters along the stages giving that extra confidence boost. And snow is my favorite surface—being Swedish and all. The goal for Rally Sweden is clear: back-to-back victories, no less,” Mille concludes.