Just nine days before auto24 Rally Estonia last year winners Markko Märtin and Kristo Kraag entered the rally, which is a pleasant surprise for all the rallyfans. Märtin will drive the same car as last year – Ford Focus WRC 03. It will be intresting to watch how drivers with different WRC cars will fight for the victory of auto24 Rally Estonia which will be held on South-Estonian roads on 15 – 16th of July.
As Märtin drives with Ford Focus WRC 03, Georg Gross will use Ford Focus WRC 08, Rene Kuipers Ford Focus WRC 06 and Ivars Vasaraudzis Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05. Besides old WRC cars also two crews will start with new WRC cars – Kris Meeke (Mini John Cooper Works WRC) and Mads Ostberg (Ford Fiesta RS WRC). These cars are technically very different. Each car has some advantages and disadvantages and for sure this will be a very intresting rally.
Urmo Aava, auto 24 Rally Estonia Director: “Markko Märtin´s participation in auto24 Rally Estonia is very good news for the rallyfans. For the organizers this means bigger publicity, good competition and great opportunity to introduce Estonia in Europe. As Markko is starting in auto24 Rally Estonia there is a very big possibility that victory of auto24 Rally Estonia will come to Estonia.”
Currently in the sixth place in WRC Mads Östberg and Jonas Andersson will fight for the victory in the auto24 Rally Estonia. But like some other drivers they are also doing some preparation for Neste Oil Rally Finland.
Mads Ostberg: “We’re going to fight for the victory for sure. Besides that we are working with different setups and our goal is to get good feeling before Neste Oil Rally Finland. It’s good that Kris Meeke will be in Estonia too and now Markko Märtin starting in the rally it will be a really good rally.”
auto24 Rally Estonia is held on South-Estonian roads on 15-16th of July. It is the fourth round of Estonian Rally Championships, second round of Baltic Rally Champoinship, the only Estonian race that is in the FIA calender and candidate rally for FIA European Historic Sporting Rally Championship.
– Credit: www.rallyestonia.ee.