Solbergkanse closer to Delfi Rally Estonia Fame

The 23-year-old Swede, who appears in a Toyota Gr Yaris Rally1 together with his regular WRC2 campaign, will lead a lead of 21 seconds to the three-stage final on Sunday. Victory would connect him to an exclusive group of drivers to win with a new team in Rally's top level at the debut.

Solberg has been run since Friday morning and added a further four stage victories on Saturday, which increased his lead of 12.4 seconds in the course of 125 competitive kilometers.

Overnight changes to the establishment of his GR Yaris changed again and in three to four morning tests he properly concluded the fastest times. In the afternoon, his approach shifted to risk management in the stages around Otepää and Kanepi and lost easily, but lost only minimal soil against chase.

“It was an absolutely great day,” said Solberg, whose father Petter was the world champion in 2003. “Really consistent speed, no mistakes, just try to keep them clean. It was not the plan to extend the gap, but hey, it's fantastic.

The stand behind Solberg is no less than three world champions, led by the title winner Ott Tänak 2019. The local favorite that drives a Hyundai i20 n Rally1 is locked up for the second -placed person in a violent duel with teammates Thierry Neuville. The couple acted over six times all day long, with Tämak ended only 4.0 seconds before the Belgian.

Tänak's advantage could have been greater, but an expensive one, after cutting off a skull ball in the opening level, had it shed over for about seven seconds.

Kalle Rovanperä, three-time Delfi rally Estland winner and WRC champion in 2022 and 2023, ended the day in fourth place. Although he felt as hard as he felt, Finn admitted that he had difficulty reaching the pace of the leaders.

Rovanperä continued in front of Hyundais Adrien Fourmaux, who rose to fifth place after overhauling Takamoto Katsuta on Saturday. Fourmaux finished 8.6 seconds in front of the Japanese driver, who reported “something strange by car” in the afternoon. Katsuta now has sixth place, only 13.6 seconds from his masterful teammate Elfyn Evans-Dem Welshman, who rounds off a steady day in the seventh.

Sami Pajari continued to have a lonely eighth place in his Toyota, which was comfortable from M-Sport Ford Puma Rallyes by Mārtinš Sesks and Josh Mcerlean, who completed the top 10.