WRC 2025: Ott Tänak Eyes Home Glory as Kalle Rovanperä Looks to Reignite Title Bid at Rally Estonia

The high-octane world of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) shifts into top gear as the Delfi Rally Estonia (17 – 20 July) returns with flat-out gravel action, soaring speeds, and a passionate Baltic crowd.

After tackling rough terrains in Sardinia and the scorching heat of Greece, Rally Estonia kicks off the European summer leg with a dramatic change of pace. Known for its lightning-fast gravel roads and sweeping blind crests, this iconic round sees average speeds exceed 120kph—making it one of the quickest on the WRC calendar.

All eyes will be on Ott Tänak, who heads into his home rally with momentum after clinching victory at the Acropolis Rally Greece. The Hyundai Motorsport driver dominated with eight stage wins and now hopes to end a five-year wait for another win on home soil. Currently third in the standings and just 12 points behind championship leader Elfyn Evans, Tänak has a golden opportunity to close the gap.

Meanwhile, Kalle Rovanperä returns to Estonia—a venue that has been a fortress for the Toyota Gazoo Racing star. The reigning two-time world champion earned his first-ever WRC win here in 2021 and has won twice more since. However, after a costly retirement in Greece, Rovanperä sits fourth in the title race and needs a strong result to reignite his campaign.

“It’s cool to be going back to Rally Estonia,” said Rovanperä. “It’s where I took my first WRC win, and the fast roads really suit my style. I have great memories here and look forward to the challenge.”

Joining Tänak in Hyundai colors are Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux, while Toyota fields a strong line-up with Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta, and rising stars Sami Pajari and Oliver Solberg. Solberg, currently leading WRC2, makes a much-anticipated return to a Rally1 car for the first time since 2022.

M-Sport Ford brings its Puma Rally1 cars for Grégoire Munster, Josh McErlean, and Mārtiņš Sesks, who impressed with a stage win on similar roads during Latvia’s WRC debut last year.

The 2025 Delfi Rally Estonia features 20 competitive stages covering over 300 kilometers. It begins with Thursday evening’s Visit Estonia Tartu vald stage and wraps up on Sunday afternoon, promising fans a weekend of relentless speed, fierce rivalries, and rallying drama.