Estonian rally driver Robert Virves wins WRC2 Challenger title
In Chile, Estonian rally driver Robert Virves won the WRC2 Challenger title after finishing second at Rally Chile. This result also brought the 26-year-old Virves and his co-driver Jakko Viilo, who compete in a Škoda, closer to the title in the main WRC2 standings for the 2026 season, ERR News reports.
Second place at Rally Chile
WRC2 Challenger is a WRC2 subcategory for drivers who have not previously won a world championship title in this second-tier category. In Chile, Virves' crew started Sunday in second place and won the final two of four special stages.
Frenchman Yohan Rossel in a Lancia won Rally Chile. Virves finished just under a minute behind him and ahead of Britain's Gus Greensmith, who competed in a Toyota.
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Fight for the main WRC2 title
With two rounds remaining in the season, Virves has 117 points and is contending for his first title in the overall WRC2 standings. According to ERR News, for the title not to go to the Estonian, he must retire from both upcoming rounds, while Finland's Teemu Suninen must win both of them.
This season, Virves has won four WRC races in the Rally2 class: in Kenya, Greece, Estonia and Finland. Of the two final rounds — in Sardinia on October 1–4 and in Saudi Arabia on November 11–14 — he can score championship points in only one.
If Virves secures the WRC2 title, it will be the first WRC title for an Estonian driver since 2019. That year, Ott Tänak and his co-driver Martin Järveoja in a Toyota Yaris won titles in the main WRC category.
