Estonian WRC round will restart 2020 season

The first ever Estonian WRC round will restart the championship season in September, followed by at least four further rounds – Covid-19 restrictions permitting.

The revised WRC calendar was revealed today, with Turkey, Germany, Italy and Japan hosting events, which will include the WRC 2 and WRC 3 categories. Rallies in Belgium and Croatia remain a possibility.

As previously announced, Wales Rally GB is off the calendar, and there is also no space in the largely European schedule for Rally Argentina.

Estonia has been pushing to host a home rally for reigning title-holder Ott Tänak, and held a promotional event last year.

It will be the 33rd country to stage a championship round since the start of the series in 1973. The short format gravel event will take place around Tartu, in the east of the country. It will consist of two legs on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 September following a shakedown and opening ceremony on the Friday

Tanak won last year’s Shell Helix Rally Estonia, in front of 50,000 fans, competing on high-speed stages at the three-day event in the same region of the country.

“Today’s restart announcement sends a clear signal that the 2020 WRC is back in business,” said Oliver Ciesla, WRC Promoter managing director.

“Today’s news allows the WRC to restart at an appropriate time and ensure a season worthy of world championship status.