The curtain came down on both the FIA Junior Rally Championship and the inaugural C2 Junior Experience on October's Rallye de France – Tour de Corse which saw Shaun Gallagher and Clive Jenkins come out on top in the R2 category.

Their reward from Citroën Sport and its partners is an entry on the Wales Rally GB. With a score of two wins, three second places and one third place to their name, the Irish pair enjoyed an impeccable run in the R2 pack to earn the prize promised in the C2 Junior Experience's regulations. "Clive and I are thrilled," says Shaun Gallagher.

"The C2 Junior Experience gave us a chance to compete within a clear organisational framework and with well-defined objectives for every event. The support we had from Citroën Sport's technical team also helped us improve. We worked well throughout the year with the preparation outfit Skip Brown Cars and with our team manager, Tom Nolan. Everyone's effort has now earned us this reward from Citroën Sport."

Citroën Sport's Customer Competition Manager Yves Matton was pleased with the outcome of this operation which kicked off at the start of the season: "Shaun ran his programme very intelligently. He was consistent and patient on every one of the six rounds that figured on his programme. That enabled him to take the prize each time out and go on to win the title in his category, not to mention his win in the FIA's rookie category. He is the first driver to win the "R2' category of the C2 Junior Experience and we will be repeating the operation next year."

The results of the World Rally Team Ireland crew earned them an entry on the Wales Rally GB in a C2-R2 prepared for the occasion by PH-Sport. "Just like Simon Jean- Joseph this year, Shaun will have the chance to drive a PH-Sport car," continues Yves Matton. "The team showed its ability by taking Simon to a second European Championship crown and will bring its considerable experience of the World Rally Championship to the table. Shaun will be able to profit from that expertise."

PH-Sport, which was one of Citroën Sport's partners for this operation along with Total and BFGoodrich, has come up with a striking livery for Shaun's C2-R2 which will fly the colours of the C2 Junior Experience and its partners. "I can't wait to work with PH-Sport," enthuses the Irishman. "I know that PH-Sport's engineers and mechanics are very skilled and that they will help me do a good job."

This will be Shaun's third Wales Rally GB start, although it will have little in common with his previous attempts. Indeed, having changed date on several occasions in the past, this year's Wales Rally GB will take place in December. Shaun has already contested it in November and September in theoretically more favourable conditions. He has yet to see the finish but hopes to achieve that objective this time round at the wheel of a more competitive car. "My principal objective will be to gain more experience," confides Shaun.

"Depending on the weather, it will clearly be vital to drive carefully and stay on the road. We hope to round off the year in style and make it all the way to the finish of the Wales Rally GB," concludes his co-driver Clive Jenkins…