Australian rally driver Taylor Gill and co-driver Daniel Brkic wrapped up their 2024 FIA Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC) campaign in fourth place for the season.

The EKO Acropolis Rally Greece was the final JWRC round for 2024 and the Australian duo entered their season finale fresh from victory at Rally Finland.
 
However their title hopes were dashed in the fifth and final round as Gill and Brkic fell down the order after breaking a steering arm on Saturday of the rally. Despite the setback, the Australian duo still powered on to end their season in a respectable fourth place.

"The rough roads damaged the rear of the car, and we simply had to nurse it through. Initially, the rear control arm was bent, however, it eventually broke completely as we made it to the end of the day," Gill said.
 
“It was a tough pill to swallow, but we understand that in an event like this, these problems can come from nowhere."
  


The Australians were challenged repeatedly across the year, having to overcome multiple mechanical woes and punctures to eventually finish every round in the points. 
 
Having faced unfamiliar snow and tarmac surfaces throughout the first two rounds, Gill and Brkic shone on the familiar gravel surfaces of Sardegna in round three.
 
Their major highlights were a second place finish in Croatia, and culminating with a win in Finland, arriving as serious contenders for the 2024 Junior title.
 
The victory in Finland placed them second in the JWRC standings, with an only 12-point gap separating them from Estonians title leaders Romet Jürgenson and navigator Siim Oja. 
 
“Regardless of the final outcome, we’re very proud of our efforts this season and can hold our heads high knowing we gave ourselves the best possible chance at championship victory in the last round," Gill said.
 
Gill was paired with Australian navigator Daniel Brkic throughout the year, with the pair relocating abroad as part of Gill's selection to the FIA Rally Star program in 2023. 
 
“It’s easy to get ahead of ourselves, but we must remember that Rally Sweden at the start of the season was our first rally in the WRC,” Brkic said.
 
“To begin there and progress the way we have is a credit to Taylor, the FIA Rally Star program and our entire support team in Europe and back in Australia.
 
“At the start of the season, we didn’t know where we would stack up, but to know we can now mix it with the best juniors in the world fills us with confidence.” 
 
Looking ahead to the rest of 2024, Gill and Brkic will return to Australia to preparing for their next steps in 2025.
 
With their future in the FIA Rally Star program still to be decided, they remain hopeful that their progress this year will secure them a place for 2025.