Make it personal. If you’re searching sporting glory, it’s a widely accepted tactic to get to know your rival and then go route one with the mind games.
For the next three weeks, Estonians and Finns will be making it entirely personal. With no shortage of mind games.
Twenty years on from Markko vs Marcus, it’s Ott versus Kalle. The difference from when Märtin beat Grönholm in his rival’s backyard? Both have a home game. The blue, black and white faithful can wave their flags in Tartu this week, but the famous blue cross will fly high over Jyväskylä in a fortnight’s time.
The organizer of both events is delighted at this extra neighbourhood needle – so much so that fans now have the option to buy one ticket (EST-FIN Rallypass, available on both event websites and Tallink ferry channels) to service both sides of the Baltic Sea battle.
Tarmo Hõbe is the commercial director of Rally Estonia.
“This is a unique situation in the WRC, where two neighboring countries have a round taking place,” said Hõbe.
“Ott [Tänak] and Kalle [Rovanperä] compete relentlessly for the championship – but there’s extra excitement in the fact that Ott has one win in Estonia, whereas Kalle has two – but in Finland, Ott has won three times and Kalle is hoping to open his winning score in his home country soon.
“Rallying is very popular in both countries, one could even say the Estonians and Finns are a true rallying nation. This is a great opportunity to discover adrenaline-fuelled competition and to see midsummer in the stunningly beautiful Tartu and Jyväskylä.
“Let’s make it an unforgettable battle of the champions.”
The two events had been talking about a co-operation since last year, but Markus Häkkinen, promoter of Rally Finland, said it was Rovanperä’s 2022 championship win that convinced him the time was right for an alliance across the water.
Rovanperä’s a Finn’s Finn, but don’t forget he lived in Estonia for a while and is popular in and around Tartu. Just not as popular Tänak.
“After Kalle’s world championship win,” said Häkkinen, “if we were going to introduce this kind of pass for fans, this was the right time. We are very pleased that our Estonian colleagues were super-excited about the idea of this completely new kind of co-operation in the whole WRC series.
“We talk of Secto Rally Finland being ‘more than a rally,’ and in this case it is – it’s [a rally] doubled.”
Part one is just days away and while M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid driver Tänak has already admitted he’s up against it in his efforts to match Rovanperä and his Toyota pals, it’s simply not in the 2019 champion’s make-up to give it anything other than absolutely everything he’s got.
For fast rally fans, the next two weeks are what the year is all about. Regardless of who wins, the battle’s going to be an absolute belter. And it’s not too late to bag your EST-FIN Rally Pass and join the fun.
