Urmo Aava and co-driver Silver Kütt will make World Rally Championship history at Rally Estonia, becoming the first founders of a rally to compete in their own event.
Aava, Rally Estonia’s rally director, used to be a regular driver in the WRC during the late 2000s, winning five stages overall in Citroën C4 and Ford Focus RS WRC machinery.
Although he hasn’t competed at the top level of the sport since 2009, Aava did drive a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 at last year’s Saaremaa Rally.
He’ll steer a similar Toyota at this year’s Rally Estonia, co-driven by Kütt whose last WRC start was back in 2010 alongside Martin Kangur.
“Silver and I have been involved in rallying for a long time and have organized rallies together, but we’ve never competed together at a major event,” said Aava.
Aava last competed in the WRC in 2009, but has never driven on his home roads at world level
“Being able to start Rally Estonia together is both a privilege and a unique opportunity, as most WRC organizers do not have previous experience as drivers. It will also allow us to see the rally from a driver’s perspective and help us improve Rally Estonia even further.
“Rallying is a special sport where you can return after a 16 or 17-year break and still compete alongside the world’s best. One goal of the Aava-Kütt project is to bring greater attention to Estonia’s young generation of drivers and showcase the dedication and work required to succeed in rallying.”
Kütt, who last year served as Rally Estonia’s deputy clerk of the course, added: “Competing together at Rally Estonia has always been a dream for both of us. It’s a huge challenge that we take very seriously and are preparing for accordingly.
“Over the years our organizing team has become so strong that even if two of the founders are competing and must step away from organizational duties, the event will continue to run smoothly.
“We are grateful to the FIA, the WRC Promoter, the Estonian Autosport Union and our supporters for helping make this possible.”
Support for the next generation
Alongside the news of Aava and Kütt’s participation was the announcement of a €50,000 prize fund for the fastest three young drivers competing in WRC2 at Rally Estonia, courtesy of WRC Promoter.
The highest-placed Estonian will receive €25,000, with second awarded with €15,000 and third €10,000, with additional €50,000 grant provided to the Estonian Next Rallystar Fund in support of 20-year-old Patrick Enok’s development program.
Estonia is expected to be well represented in WRC2 on July 16-19, with drivers including Škoda’s Robert Virves, M-Sport Ford’s Romet Jürgenson and Toyota’s Jaspar Vaher.
“We approach Rally Estonia like any other event, but prizes like these are always welcome,” said Virves, who won Safari Rally Kenya in WRC2 earlier this year.
“Our goal is to fight for the WRC2 victory on home roads. It won’t be easy, as the competition is extremely strong, including several talented Estonian drivers eager to demonstrate their pace.”
Jürgenson added: “This is a fantastic opportunity and something I don’t recall seeing before. It’s another innovative idea from Rally Estonia and will certainly motivate young drivers.
“Our aim at the home WRC round is to maximise our performance. We’ll push hard and see where we stand against the competition.”
Virves, Jürgenson (pictured) and Vaher are obvious contenders for the prize fund
Vaher called the announcement “a very positive surprise” and that “knowing there is a significant financial reward at stake definitely adds motivation”.
“While I don’t want to set specific expectations, I will do my best to perform strongly on home roads,” he said.
WRC sporting director, Peter Thul, concluded: “Rally Estonia has always been at the forefront of innovation, passionate fan engagement and support for emerging rally talent.
“Looking ahead to the new WRC regulations arriving in 2027, our objective alongside the FIA and stakeholders is to create a more accessible and sustainable platform for competitors while preserving the spectacle that makes WRC unique. Estonia has set a strong example by nurturing young drivers through WRC2, and we are pleased to support that pathway together with Rally Estonia.”
