Yesterday, we had a press conference in Estonia about this year’s Rally Estonia and its economic impact. Here are some key numbers: unique visitors – 54,549; countries represented (visitors, drivers) – 51; revenue – €32 338 027; tax collected from foreign tourists – €3 037 380. That last number is especially important for the government, as they invested €2 million in the rally. The investment generated 1.5 times the amount back in tax revenue – a strong argument for securing government support for future events.

But the biggest takeaway from the press conference was that in the 2026 edition, a young Estonian driver will get a chance to compete in a Rally1 car. This is a joint project between the WRC Promoter, the rally organizers, and key supporters. At the moment, there are three candidates: Virves, Linnamäe, and Jürgenson.