The next Junior British Rally Champion will have a memorable 2017, when they take home a cash prize of £30,000 to put towards their 2018 career development.

Open to any driver under the age of 26 on January 1 2017, the Junior BRC will once again be a competitive proving ground for crews as they tackle some of the best forest stages and Tarmac tests across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales in FIA-homologated R2 cars.

BRC Championship Manager Iain Campbell is excited about the new format and is looking forward to another exciting chapter in the Junior BRC story. "The enquiries we have already had confirm that this is going to be another great year of competition in the Juniors. The winner will now have a pot of cash to take with them to their next challenge, while all the drivers and co-drivers in the Junior BRC will once again be supported in their development by having access to the coaches and tutors of the MSA Academy."

The organisers of the MSA British Rally Championship (BRC) have also announced that the Junior BRC will adopt an open tyre format for this year. Also new for 2017, is the addition to the calendar of the legendary Ypres Rally in Belgium; the first overseas round for Britain's premier rallying series. The finale will be in the Isle of Man.

Last year the junior series attracted drivers from Australia, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Sweden and the UK who fought over seven events. They drove differing model cars including Ford, Renault and Vauxhall.

Round one of the MSA British Rally Championship gets underway in Jedburgh with the Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally on 17/18 March.