When we talk about ‘home events’ in the World Rally Championship, sometimes they’re not really near home at all. In the same country, yes, but in reality not anywhere near a driver’s front door.
Mārtiņš Sesks is the exception. This week’s Rally Latvia isn’t just the rising star’s home round of the WRC, it’s based in his home city of Liepāja. Sesks is in fact so intertwined with Liepāja that his father, Uldis, used to be the mayor of the city.
But there is no exact science to pinning down what becomes a ‘home’ event for a driver, because after all ‘home’ is a construct – something we all feel, rather than something that physically exists.
In that sense, Mārtiņš Sesks is not the only WRC driver coming home this week. Step forward Kalle Rovanperä and Oliver Solberg.
Rovanperä is Finnish and Solberg is Swedish, but neither began their rallying careers in Scandinavia. Instead, they took to the roads of Latvia – mainly because it is possible to compete there before the age of 16.
Solberg contested 2017 edition of Rally Liepāja as a 16-year-old, under a Latvian flag
Latvia therefore served as their training ground. But, typically, two drivers so accustomed to success didn’t just turn up and then head off again. Rovanperä won the national championship twice, in 2016 and ’17, while Solberg conquered the nation’s ERC event Rally Liepāja in both 2019 and 2020.
Although neither can count on any recent experience this week as they battle for overall and WRC2 glory respectively, both are relishing the chance to return to their roots.
“Yeah of course it’s really cool to be going back to Latvia,” Rovanperä told DirtFish.
“It’s where all the rally stuff basically started in terms of first competitions so it’s going to be interesting. I’m sure I’m going to see a lot of familiar faces hopefully, some old friends and fans, so it’s really, really cool.
“It’s quite a different feeling since we were there the last time,” he added. “But definitely it’s going to be cool to be there – hopefully the stages will feel as good as they did at that time. I’m sure I’m going to enjoy them.”
Rovanperä drove Ford Fiesta R5 to second on Rally Liepāja in 2017
Solberg is feeling similarly nostalgic.
“Coming back to Latvia is really nice,” he said. “The people and the support is very special here – and so are the roads. I remember having a lot of fun on these roads and I’m sure that’s going to be the same this week.
“Of course, everything is quite a bit more serious now – we are going to Liepāja chasing points in WRC2 and there’s a world championship to be won.
“I’m hoping we can settle in and find a good feeling straight away. The roads should give more support, I don’t think they will be so soft or rutted on the second pass [as in Poland]. And, for sure, I think they will be as fast as the last round.”
Rovanperä describes the stages as “probably between Poland and Estonia” with “gravel and the road base that’s a bit different” to the other fast-gravel rounds this year in Poland and Finland.
“I’m sure I’m going to enjoy them,” the world champion smiled.
Solberg is a two-time winner of Latvian ERC round, including in 2019
On familiar ground, the objective for Solberg is clear.
“Poland was tough, but we made second in the end. This time I really want to win,” he said. “We have a pretty good record on these fast rallies and my win [among Rally2 cars] and sixth overall in Finland last year is definitely one of the highlights of my career so far.
“Another one of those would suit Elliott [Edmondson, co-driver] and me very well!”
Rovanperä has similar ambition, but is equally just pleased to benefit from proper preparation – unlike in Poland.
“I think it’s going to be a bit easier at least to have full recce days and full time to prepare!” he laughed.
