After a strong season highlighted by the most stage wins in the championship, 20-year-old Swedish driver Mille Johansson from Katrineholm is ready for the biggest challenge of his career – the Junior WRC season finale. Together with co-driver Johan Grönvall from Arvika, he heads into the Central European Rally second in the standings, just 14 points off the lead.
“We see it as absolutely possible to win the championship. With double points in the final, the winner gets 50 points and second place 34. Everything is still open,” says Mille Johansson.
The event takes place on 16–19 October, featuring 18 special stages across Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. It begins on Thursday evening with two night stages, followed by three full days of fast, technical asphalt roads – known for changeable grip and unpredictable weather conditions. All crews compete in identical Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars prepared by M-Sport Poland, fitted with Hankook tyres.
Throughout the season, Johansson and Grönvall have shown impressive pace across all surfaces – from snow and gravel to asphalt – claiming several podium finishes and the highest number of stage wins in the field. In recent weeks, they have also competed in both the FIA European Rally Championship and the Italian championship to prepare for the asphalt conditions expected in the finale.
“We’ve done two asphalt rallies in the past few weeks, and the roads in Croatia were quite similar to what we’ll face here at CER, with all the cuts and dirt being pulled onto the surface. We’ve definitely shown that we are the fastest. Now we need to win to finish the season the way we want,” says Mille.
“Our chances are still strong. With double points on offer, there’s a lot to play for. It’s almost victory or nothing for everyone this weekend,” adds Johan Grönvall.
The Central European Rally marks the fifth and final round of the 2025 Junior WRC. Four of the five results count towards the final standings, while every stage win awards bonus points. The winner of the Junior WRC earns a fully supported WRC2 campaign with M-Sport Poland in 2026.