July 15, 2023
Written by Chris Hosie
Image Credit: wrc.com
The 2023 WRC title fight has become one of the most hotly contested fight in the championship’s history. Now the stars and cars of the World Rally Championship head to Estonia. The home of 2019 champion Ott Tanak.
Round 8 of the 2023 World Championship takes place in Estonia for the sixth time in the championship's history. The event was a new edition to the championship in 2020 and has become one of the most important and popular events on the WRC calendar. Before its inception to the World Championship, it was an event contested as part of the Estonian and the European championships.
The Event was first won by Tanak in 2020 in its inaugural world championship fixture. The Estonian having won this ever three times before, including back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019. For the last two years it has been a joint Japanese and Finnish affair with Toyota and Kalle Rovanpera taking wins in 2021 and 22.
The entry for the event is a very strong and enticing one. With Ford, Hyundai and Toyota all bringing their top drivers to the event. Championship leader and Defending rally winner Rovanpera will be gunning for a third straight win. The result of which will bring him closer to a second straight world title. However, his teammate Elfyn Evans and Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville will be going after the Finn with everything they’ve got. Tanak’s is most definitely the favourite among the locals. Competing this year’s edition in a Ford Puma as to his former team Hyundai the previous three occasions.
WRC2 also looks set for another dramatic and thrilling event. The WRC’s premier development class fielding an impressive 24 car entry. Plus, many others not registered for points but, looking to stir things up on the results sheet at rally’s end. WRC3 will also be in attendance with a very large entry. Blustered by the entrants from the WRC Junior Championship division. Roope Korhonen and Toni Herranen will be mixing it with Diego Dominguez Jr, William Creighton, Laurent Pellier and Eamonn Kelly for overall WRC3 honours. The latter four also in hot contention for the Junior Championship title. Which, Estonia, will see the penultimate round of the 2023 Junior title chase.
WRC2 has a very intriguing driver battle group too. Oliver Solberg, Gus Greensmith, Emil Lindholm, Sami Pajari, Josh McErlean and Andreas Mikkelsen are all top picks for victory in Estonia. With Mauro Miele and Armin Kremer set to do battle once again in the WRC2 Masters division. The rally is set to take place on the 20-23 July and will be broadcast live and uninterrupted on WRC+ with selected live stages available to watch on BT Sport. You can also catch the WRC+ feed on BT Sport Extra via the red button on BT Sport.
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