Although the news had already been widely expected, and both drivers had individually announced their own WRC programmes, Toksport only released its official statement on Wednesday. The team’s line-up consists of Russian-born, now Bulgarian-licensed Nikolay Gryazin and Estonian Robert Virves.
Gryazin has been a regular in the WRC2 category for several years and now has the opportunity to fight for the title with top-class machinery. Last season, Gryazin competed with Citroen’s equipment, but he now returns to Skoda.
Virves, on the other hand, now gets his first real chance to measure himself against the WRC2 elite. The Estonian has shown flashes of speed in both the WRC and ERC, but now he has secured proper financial backing.
“Fresh faces with familiar strengths. Our 2025 lineup brings back Nikolay Gryazin to the team alongside the talented Robert Virves united by an unwavering partnership with Skoda Motorsport,” the German team announced.
Gryazin already competed in Rally Monte Carlo in January but was not registered for WRC2 points. However, the Russian driver still secured second place in his class. Virves, meanwhile, started his season on the snow-covered roads of Rally Sweden last month but was also not registered for points. His rally ended in disappointment on the final day after holding third place in WRC2, so at least no points were lost.
The WRC season continues in Kenya in two weeks, but Gryazin and Virves will skip the event.
