Instead of Estonia, this summer’s WRC points will be battled for in Latvia. However, Estonia will not be without an international rally event, as an European Rally Championship round is scheduled to take place around Tartu at the beginning of July.
Specifically, the ERC rally in Estonia is positioned between the Polish and Latvian WRC rallies. The organizers hope to attract reinforcements from the WRC side to their fast gravel competition.
Estonia’s top star, Ott Tänak, would be a guaranteed attraction for the event. Rally Director Urmo Aava was asked during a press conference whether it would be possible to lure Tänak, who drives for Hyundai, to participate in the event.
“These matters haven’t been discussed, but let’s see. The calendar is quite packed, with the rallies in Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Finland being close together,” Aava said, according to the Estonian site Delfi.
Aava suggested that a more logical option might be Rovanperä, who is only competing in about half of this year’s WRC season.
“Toyota has a new Rally2 car, and Toyota is one of our partners. We haven’t had discussions with Kalle, but we should look at the bigger picture,” Aava told.
“It would be very good if drivers with experience in the WRC series competed in Rally2 cars at ERC series stages. It’s only a dream, but if we dream of a world without contracts, then it could happen,” Aava speculated.
In the ERC’s main class, competitors drive cars classified under Rally2, which in the WRC constitute the so-called second class, WRC2.
Toyota star Rovanperä has not competed in a second-class car for years, but he tested the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 car, which was in development last year. Toyota’s new model has been competing in the WRC and also in national rally series since this season.
Rovanperä won Rally Estonia three times in a row from 2021 to 2023. The Finnish star has repeatedly mentioned that the Estonian round is one of his biggest favorites.
Although Rovanperä is only competing in selected WRC rallies this year, his calendar has quickly filled with other races. Rovanperä will also be seen in circuit races driving a Porsche, in his drifting car, and participating in the Fuji 24-hour endurance race in May.
