Estonian fans rally for Virves’ WRC2 Greece entry

The 24-year-old Estonian, who clinched the FIA Junior WRC title on Greek roads in 2022, has faced financial hurdles that threatened his continued participation in WRC2, the championship’s premier support category.

Virves' debut season in the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 has been marked by an impressive third-place finish at ORLEN 80th Rally Poland. However, budgetary constraints cast doubt over his ability to compete beyond last month’s Secto Rally Finland.

In a bid to keep his campaign alive, a crowdfunding effort spearheaded by Rally Estonia director Urmo Aava and Estonian sports commentator Kalev Kruus raised over €50,000, ensuring Virves could compete in Greece.

“First of all, I am very grateful to Mr. Jüri Käo, Aivar Mäemets and Marek Mägi. These are the key people who gave me a chance to compete in WRC again, and of course there are many other supporters as well who are behind us,” Virves said.

“Greece was not in my initial plans but, after Rally Poland, sports commentator Kalev Kruus and Rally Estonia director Urmo Aava decided to go public with their Estonian Next Rallystar fundraising campaign to get us to Greece and they managed to raise over 52,000 Euros.

“The support from Estonian rally fans and community is unbelievable and the fact that people care about what we do and want to help us means a lot,” he added.

Elsewhere in the category, rising Finnish star Sami Pajari returns to competition after his top-level debut in Finland, where he finished fourth aboard a factory-run Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. Now, however, his focus is back on challenging for this year’s WRC2 title.

Pajari won the category in Italy and Poland and has made the podium with his other two finishes in a GR Yaris Rally2. He knows, however, that it’s going to take a strong performance to depose series leader Oliver Solberg.

While he won’t face the Swede in Lamia this week, he will take on fellow championship challengers Yohan Rossel, Lauri Joona, Jan Solans and Nikolay Gryazin in what’s set to be a fascinating tussle in the Rally2-only series.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to WRC2,” said Pajari. “It’s been an exciting season so far and it’s going to carry on in Greece. Of course, we know Oliver is in a [strong] position, all we can do is to drive our own rally and focus on what we are doing. This is the plan.”