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Time to get even already for the FIA Junior WRC drivers!

After a closely contested opening round won by Simone Tempestini, the FIA Junior WRC resumes at Rally Poland. The Italian's rivals will already be looking to get even, as the championship returns to the venue of his only win in 2015!

All competing in strictly identical DS 3 R3-MAXs, ten crews will be fighting it out for the FIA Junior WRC honours at Rally Poland. Frédéric Hauswald is the only driver to miss the event. Although he was unable to put together the funding for this round, the Alsace-based driver hopes to be back at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland.

After the rough gravel roads in the north of Portugal, the drivers will be tackling the lightning fast stages of the Mikolajki region. Deep ruts will form as more and more four-wheel drive cars complete the stages, providing tricky conditions for the drivers and in all likelihood leading to mistakes... The crews that manage to find the right balance between pushing and defending in order to look after their car will inevitably finish high up the standings!

As regards the favourites, obviously you have to first consider those who did well in Portugal. Simone Tempestini and Martin Koci fought each other for the win throughout the weekend, whilst Terry Folb was just behind, ready to pounce on a mistake from either of the top two. All three drivers will be looking to build on their good start to the season and confirm their status as title challengers. Many observers have Tempestini down as the favourite, given that he won here last year. But Martin Koci enjoyed a real confidence boost in claiming the ‘two-wheel drive' category win at Rally Hustopece, in the Czech rally championship.

Fast in Portugal but held up by several punctures, Ole Christian Veiby will be aiming to make up lost ground. Runner-up in the 2015 championship, the young Norwegian didn't compete here last year and will therefore need to make up for a lack of experience.

The same goes for Vincent Dubert. Winner of the Citroën Racing Trophy, the Frenchman is learning about world rallying this year as part of a programme funded by Citroën Racing and its partners, Total and Michelin. After collecting the points for fourth place in Portugal, he will be aiming to to reduce the gap to the leading drivers.

Another Frenchman enjoying his first experience of the WRC, Romain Martel also made a successful start to the season by making it to the end of his first world rally without having to rejoin under Rally2 rules. He will need to repeat the trick here in order to keep adding to his experience on gravel.

One of the favourites for the title, Andrea Crugnola simply has to score heavily this weekend to make up for his disappointing showing - ninth place - in the opening round. Having gone off in Portugal, Mohamed Al Mutawaa, Thilo Himmel and Lukasz Pieniazek will equally be looking to record a good result this time out.

The only Polish driver in the competition, Lukasz Pieniazek will obviously be in the limelight at his home round. Fresh from taking part the Rallye d'Ypres this weekend in the European Rally Championship, the Warsaw driver can expect to be up to speed immediately!

FOUR DS 3 R5s IN WRC2 LINE-UP

Reigning FIA Junior WRC champions, Quentin Gilbert and Renaud Jamoul will contest their fourth rally of the season in the DS 3 R5 prepared by DG Sport. Following their podium finish in Monte-Carlo, they had a more difficult time of it in Portugal (retirement) and Sardinia (10th). In Poland, the goal will be to keep out of trouble and get back among the frontrunners.

Three other DS 3 R5s have been entered in the WRC2 class at this rally, with Yoann Bonato/Denis Giraudet, Emil Bergkvist/Joakim Sjoberg and Pierre-Louis Loubet/Vincent Landais all taking part. An FIA Junior WRC competitor last year, the young Corsican finished sixth in the WRC2 in Sardinia on his debut outing in the DS 3 R5.