Sponsors rally to help Gill prepare for JWRC finale

Australian sponsors have been the driving force behind Taylor Gill’s entry into the Croatia Rally, an additional event as he pushes towards the Junior WRC title.

In a season where his Junior World Rally Championship campaign is funded by the FIA as part of the Rally Star Program, Gill has been relying on sponsors to fund his additional testing and seat time to give him the best chance to take the JWRC crown.

Gill currently leads the JWRC with one round to contest – an event that is shaping up to be a winner-takes-all fight at the double points round at the Central European Rally (CER).

CER is the standalone tarmac round of the junior series, so in preparation, Gill and co-driver Daniel Brkic have entered this weekend's round of the European Rally Championship in Croatia.

“It’s getting to the crunch time of the year, and with the championship on the line, the importance of a test event on tarmac cannot be underplayed,” Gill said in the days leading up to the rally.

“It was a tricky situation. Bank accounts were looking low, and we really needed an influx of cash to enable us to go to Croatia, and thankfully, some new sponsors jumped on board.

“We’ve had support from many Australian businesses so far this year, which we are incredibly grateful for, and for three more to come on board, arguably when we need it most, is again, something we are incredibly grateful for.”

Those additional sponsorships came from PowerPlay Next Level Karting, Pedders Suspension, and WOLF Sports, while the ongoing support from Gill’s other sponsors has made this Croatian event a reality.

Each of the companies has an active involvement in Australian rallying, and are now extending their support to Aussies overseas.

Support from PowerPlay has been well received, and they, too, are excited to be aboard.

“We’re proud to support Taylor in his pursuit of becoming Junior World Rally Champion. His drive, determination, and passion for success reflect the spirit we live by at PowerPlay,” said Glenn Macneall, CEO of PowerPlay.

“PowerPlay was born from a passion for motorsport and a desire to create unforgettable experiences for everyone. We set out to build a place where people could feel the thrill, energy, and connection that racing brings—whether they’re chasing a podium or just having fun with friends. Supporting Taylor is a natural extension of that purpose, and we’re excited to be part of his journey.”

For Pedders, it’s a worthwhile investment in Australian talent.

“Over five decades, we’ve helped support many Australian drivers help further their international careers and aspirations including Ed Ordynski, Simon Evans and Harry Bates, and we’re honoured to now add Taylor Gill to that list,” Pedders Chairman Scott Pedder said.

“Taylor is a talented, determined young man who’s on the verge of achieving something no Australian has done before—a World Rally Championship title.

“Supporting him is part of Pedders’ DNA, and we’re proud to assist him in this crucial lead-up to the Junior WRC decider.”

The Croatia Rally is a two-day event, on similar roads to what Gill drove on last year as part of the World Championship, and it will be a valuable test to get the Aussie back into the groove of tarmac driving.

Gill will drive the same Ford Fiesta Rally3 he has driven in the past, owned by sponsor and employer, Dogbox Oy, a race team based in Finland.

Croatia is the place where Gill achieved his first JWRC podium, and he is confident on the roads there; however, he knows the key to this weekend is not outright pace, but the gains that can be taken into CER in two weeks' time.

“I really enjoyed the roads in Croatia last year,” he added.

“We haven’t driven on tarmac since the Rally di Roma Capitale in July, so there’ll be an aspect of getting back into the rhythm, but hopefully that can be done at our pre-event test, and once we get to stage one, we can start to get value out of the weekend.

“Of course, we want to go as fast as we can, but also understand there is a much bigger picture to focus on. We’ll make sure we drive the best rally we can, and make the most of the event.

Gill’s 2025 campaign has been supported by Shamrock Haulage, Premier Pools, Shannons Insurance, RallySchool Australia, Curiositi Learning Technology, Realty Lane, Lithumax, Accent Benchtops, WOLFacility, Wolf Sports, PowerPlay Next Level Karts, Pedders Suspension, Dogbox Oy and Hissi Keskus.