The 25-year-old Virves contested a steadily improving season in the WRC2 category this year. The opening half of the season was poor, but from the summer onwards he began to produce strong results.
The highlight of Virves’ season came at his home rally, where he claimed his first-ever WRC2 class victory in Estonia. After that, he secured third place on the podium in Finland and again at the season finale in Saudi Arabia.
Virves is regarded as perhaps Estonia’s brightest hope to rise next to the very top of the World Rally Championship. Estonia is in need of a new rally hero, with Ott Tänak placing his career on hold at least for now after the 2025 season.
Virves still has steps to climb before reaching star status, but he is working towards it. At present, it looks likely that he will continue next season in WRC2 with Škoda’s Rally2 car. This year he competed with a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 run by Toksport.
“As far as I know, everyone was happy, which seems logical. Only one rally went unfinished for us in the WRC2 category, and that was our only requirement this year,” Virves told the newspaper Postimees.
Virves will most likely begin his next WRC season in February.
“I believe the programme will be similar next year, and I hope we can start in Sweden. There is still no final confirmation for the calendar,” Virves said.
He will not appear at the iconic season opener, Rally Monte Carlo.
“It’s certain that I won’t be starting in Monte next year, although I would have liked to,” Virves confirmed.
Virves finished fifth in the WRC2 standings this year. The title was taken by Oliver Solberg, who will drive next season in the top category of the World Rally Championship as a factory driver for Toyota.
