Tänak gets to test over 14 special stages and nearly 190 stage kilometres in a national race, which runs on the same roads as the Estonian ERC rally. After the race in the Otepää region, Tänak will face the Latvian WRC rally, where the roads are quite similar to those in Southern Estonia.
Driving a Rally1 car in front of a home crowd might be a great pleasure for anyone, but the cool-headed Tänak responded to the praise in his characteristic style.
“It’s just work. We need to go there and do the best possible preperation for the Latvia,” Tänak said in Poland to RallyJournal.com.
In Rally Poland, Tänak’s pace was promising, but an unfortunate deer collision ruined his chances right at the start. However, on Sunday, the Estonian showcased his speed.
“We could only do nine or ten kilometres on the first day, after which we had to open the road. You can’t really compere from that positon to anyone. It’s a shame we couldn’t see the full potential,” Tänak explained.
“If the pace looked promising, it doesn’t really mean anything.”
In the upcoming weekend’s competition, Tänak can’t compare his speed directly since the ERC is run with Rally2 cars. Still, it’s a fantastic testing opportunity. Having competed in the race several times, Tänak warns his colleagues about the nature of the rally.
“This race needs to be experienced and understood. Without experience, it can be challenging. Normally, the stages are very smooth on the first loop, but they can get really rough on the second loop. The differences between the stages can also be significant,” the 36-year-old Estonian star summed up.
“It’s better to start from the back because there will always be cleaning to do. Of course, it also depends on the weather, and at the moment, the weather in Estonia can change in an instant. However, it’s sure to be hot.
The Estonian ERC rally starts on Friday evening in Tartu with a super special stage.
