Union Européenne du Trot (UET) announced on Wednesday, April 2 the six European drivers who will represent Europe at the 2025 World Driving Championship (WDC) in New Zealand from Nov. 1-12.
Following a selection process and a voting period that concluded on March 31, 2025, the final list of drivers has been confirmed.
The selection process for the 2025 WDC involved a new system approved by the UET General Assembly in January 2025. This system replaced the former European Championship for Drivers, which last took place in Belgium in 2022, where Italian driver Alessandro Gocciadoro was the winner. The new process aimed to identify the top European talent to compete alongside drivers from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.
The six drivers representing Europe include three designated drivers from Group 1, who qualified based on their status: Pierre Vercruysse (France), Antonio Simioli (Italy) and Mats Djuse (Sweden). The remaining three drivers were selected through a voting process: Jaap van Rijn (Group 3), Santtu Raitala (Group 2) and Michael Nimczyk (Group 2). The voting process had participation from 18 European representatives.
"The 2025 WDC promises to be an exciting event, showcasing the best driving talents from around the globe," said the UET in a press release announcing the European representatives for the WDC. "The UET is proud to support these exceptional drivers as they prepare to compete on the world stage. We wish them the best of luck and look forward to their outstanding performances in New Zealand."
The six European drivers will join Canada's James MacDonald and U.S. representative Brett Beckwith as participants confirmed for the WDC.
(With files from Union Européenne du Trot)