The 31-year-old Saintéloc Junior Team driver heads to Estonia on the back of his first-ever WRC2 podium, finishing second at last month’s Safari Rally Kenya. Johnston says that African podium has boosted his confidence ahead of one of the season’s fastest events.
Johnston was sitting comfortably inside the top 10 in WRC2 when he rolled his Citroën C3 Rally2 spectacularly out of the event.
“The time has come for some redemption in Estonia,” said the American. “That was a big crash last year, but I’m looking forward to the event now. Crashes are part of the sport and we move on.
“Going to Estonia with the Safari result is good and I’m so proud of what Alex [Kihurani, co-driver] and I achieved there. We definitely earned that result – what a crazy rally! Maybe it would have been nicer to have had a bit more of a fight, but there was so much going on with getting to the finish and just surviving in our Citroën was an achievement.
“Taking the best result of my career on a rally that’s as legendary as that one was really special.
“Estonia is a different kind of event – we’re going to be spending a lot more time in the air and going a lot quicker. We’re ready for it.”
Following a fourth-place finish at the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo and his runners-up spot last time out, Johnston sits seventh in the WRC2 standings ahead of Rally Estonia.
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