Portugal mission for Gill in JWRC

JWRC driver Taylor Gill competed in Portugal for round 2 of the JWRC

By Timothy Neal

Date posted: 15 May 2025

Aussies Taylor Gill and Dan Brkic take on the second round of the Junior World Rally Championship this weekend on the Portuguese gravel, as they look to back up their victory from Sweden.

In Gill’s second year in the JWRC – competing under the FIA Rally Star banner in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 – this is the pair’s first WRC event in Portugal, with the more familiar gravel surface also bringing some confidence.

In the lead up to the event, the pair also took on a local event in the Portuguese national competition that utilised some of the same roads, and also some testing. And although they flipped their ride onto its roof during the rally (the first time in his career), they still got some valuable miles on top of their testing.

“Winning in Sweden gave me huge confidence. I proved I can manage a lead under pressure,” the Newcastle born rally driver said.

“Here in Portugal, the goal is to take that composure onto gravel. The roads are softer, and the ruts deeper. But I love that challenge. I’m incredibly excited for it, the crowds lift you like nowhere else, and I can’t wait to hear them as we crest that famous jump.”

The jump Gill is referring to is the Pedra Sentada jump at the end of the Fafe stage, and it’s one of the most iconic images in world rally, with huge crowds lining the hills as the cars exceed 30-40 metres.

Despite the Aussies taking out the win in Sweden, hometown driver Mille Johannson took the greater weight of points after taking the most stage wins, and thus leads the title race by two points over Gill.

Gill won both the JWRC and WRC3 classes at Rally Sweden

Alongside co-driver Dan Brkic, Gill has taken two wins in six career JWRC races.

Rally Portugal is the second of five events in the 2025 JWRC, with events to follow in Greece, Finland and Central Europe.

This weekend’s event starts with a spectator stage on Thursday evening, before three days and 23 special stages over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The rally entails nearly 350 kilometres of tough gravel stages.

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Portugal mission for Gill in JWRC

Despite the Aussies taking out the win in Sweden, hometown driver Mille Johannson took the greater weight of points after taking the most stage wins, and thus leads the title race by two points over Gill.

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