Hamza Anwar is headed for an all-new challenge in his rally career as he opens his account in the Junior World Rally Championship series.
The reigning Junior Africa Rally Champion revs off his contention at the snow event in Umea, Sweden this weekend.
The 24-year-old with his co-driver Adnan Din spent time with M-Sport Poland along with the rest of the JWRC contenders in preparation for the season opener.
“It has been a fantastic experience so far, being in cold icy snowy conditions gives a different feeling from what we are used to.
“They have taught us a series of things which are vital in our careers. Generally, it has been an exciting learning curve and very unique,” says Anwar.
Anwar is among the nine rising stars to compete in the JWRC series this year. They will all be driving the Ford Fiesta Rally3 run by M-Sport Poland.
As the only African representative, Anwar will face off with already experienced drivers in the Junior series including William Creighton from Ireland, Laurent Pellier from France among others.
“The challenge seems to be difficult for everyone. But that is what the sport calls for. The conditions will not deter us from the target. We are optimistic and we will try to bring the car to the final finish,” he added.
The Junior WRC consists of five rounds and the winner of the championship will land an outing in four European WRC rounds in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 for the 2024 season, including a tyre support package from Pirelli.
Anwar and Din join the series after Kenyan counterparts McRae and Mwangi Kioni who finished fifth overall last season.