The foundation has been set up in memory of World Rally Championship star Breen, who tragically lost his life in a WRC testing accident in April.
The sorely missed and much-loved Irishman was hugely passionate about rallying and encouraging young drivers into the sport at grassroots level.
The Craig Breen Foundation, supported by Hyundai Motorsport, Sports & You, Hyundai Portugal, Hyundai Spain, Motorsport Ireland and the FIA, will offer a 35,000 euro prize pool to the J1000 Forestry Series next year that caters for drivers aged 14-17. The foundation has announced it will support the championship for a minimum five-year period.
Prizes on offer for drivers in the championship range from financial support to funded drives in the Spanish and Portuguese Hyundai i20 Cup with the Sports & You team, which Breen competed for in the Portuguese Rally Championship this year.
“We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Craig Breen Foundation. Hailing from Waterford and making it all the way to the pinnacle of the World Rally Championship with Hyundai Motorsport, Craig always held grassroots rallying close to his heart. In 2023, he showed commitment to this passion by offering to provide both support and funding for the Irish J1000 Forestry Series which is aimed at 14-17-year-olds, starting out in the sport,” read a statement from the foundation.
“The foundation aims to continue and build on the good work started by Craig in developing the path into top level rallying for young Irish competitors, while honouring his memory. With the support of Hyundai Motorsport, Sports & You, Hyundai Portugal, Hyundai Spain, Motorsport Ireland and the FIA, the foundation has committed to support the J1000 Forestry Series for a minimum five-year period from 2024 onwards.
“The foundation will initially see a total prize fund valued at over 35,000 euros made available for the 2024 J1000 Forestry Series. This includes:
• Prizes to the value of 1,000 per round for each round of the championship
• 16,000 in support towards 2025 rally events for the top three placed drivers in the championship (5,000 to the winner and 3,000 each to the second and third placed drivers)
• A funded drive on a round of the 2024 or 2025 Spanish/Portuguese Hyundai i20 Cup with the Sports & You team for the championship winner (age dependent)
• 1 day rally tuition at John Haughland Rally School shared between first and second place drivers in the championship
• 1 day pacenote tuition from (Breen’s former co-driver) Paul Nagle for the top three placed drivers in the championship
“Further details will be released in due course, but we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those companies, organisations and individuals involved who have already supported the Foundation in honouring Craig’s legacy, in particular, we would like thank Hyundai Motorsport who have been instrumental in establishing the foundation.”
