M-Sport Ford World Rally Team are fired up for fast gravel at next week’s Rally Estonia

Grégoire Munster, Josh McErlean and Mārtiņš Sesks all taking to the wheel of the Ford Puma Rally1; and rising star Romet Jürgenson tackling his home event with the Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Rally Estonia may have only joined the FIA World Rally Championship in 2020, but the event has fast become a firm favourite amongst competitors and spectators alike. Precision organisation and full-send stages make it one of the most thrilling and anticipated events of the year.

But a strong result in Estonia doesn’t come easy. Accuracy and bravery go hand-in-hand, and confidence is a must – anything less will see crews haemorrhage time, unable to push the limits through the exceptionally fast stages.

One driver who already knows what it feels like to win in Estonia is Grégoire Muster – he and co-driver Louis Louka securing the FIA Junior WRC victory at Rally Estonia in 2023. The Luxembourger has contested the Estonian fixture on two previous occasions, and will be looking to harness his past experience and strong results in pursuit of another good performance next week.

Josh McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy only have one previous outing in Estonia under their belts, but the pairing have already showcased some impressive progress this year – particularly on gravel. Eager to demonstrate more of what they are capable of next week, the pairing are keen to develop their speed with a strong showing throughout the weekend.

For Mārtiņš Sesks, this year’s Rally Estonia will be something of a home event – he and co-driver Renārs Francis hailing from just over the border in neighbouring Latvia. Expect lots of Latvian fans and flags amongst the crowds, and a new livery celebrating the national colours of his homeland on the Safety Culture supported Puma. The Latvian is most at home on fast gravel having began his career on the roads of Latvia and Estonia and will be looking for a confidence-boosting performance next week.

Contesting his home event, Romet Jürgenson will be one to watch as he and co-driver Siim Oja contest the WRC2 category. The youngster may have only been rallying since 2022 but already has an impressive record on home soil. Never beaten on his three previous appearances at Rally Estonia, Jürgenson won the EMV7 class as part of Rally Estonia National in 2022, he then went on the win the RC4 class in 2023 and the ERC3 class in 2024. The youngster will have strong competition in WRC2 this year but, if he can channel his confidence and home support, he will certainly be one to watch.

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Principal, Richard Millener, said:

“Rally Estonia is a firm favourite, and it’s easy to see why. For competitors and spectators alike, everything is always exceptionally well organised. The team at Rally Estonia really are amongst some of the best in the world, and they always deliver a fantastic event and a great spectacle for rallying on the world stage.

“We always look forward to this one, and all four of our crews are eager to get out on the stages. Grég and Josh have both shown a lot of progress this year, particularly on gravel, and they’re keen to continue that next week. For Mārtiņš and Romet especially this will really feel like a home event, and I hope they can both draw confidence from the huge support they’ll receive from the Latvian and Estonian fans. They’ve both proven competitive on these roads, but the most important thing is that they go out there and enjoy it.”

Grégoire Munster said:

“Rally Estonia has got to be one of the best rallies on the calendar when it comes to atmosphere and organisation. It’s always a pleasure to come back and drive these roads in front of so many passionate rally fans. Estonia also holds some nice memories for me as I won the Junior WRC event here two years ago. The stages are incredibly fast – a bit like Finland but not as compact – and we’re really looking forward to getting out there and tackling this year’s event.”

Josh McErlean said:

“Rally Estonia is a real benchmark for pace and commitment – fast roads, big jumps and no room for hesitation. It’s an incredible feeling driving these roads and one I’ve been looking forward to ever since stepping into the Puma Rally1. Every kilometre is a chance to grow, and I’m keen to keep pushing, learning and showing what we can do.”

Mārtiņš Sesks said:

“Rally Estonia will feel like a home event for us this year. For sure there will be lots of Latvian fans out spectating and lots of Latvian flags in the crowds which is always great to see. I’m really looking forward to having those home-crowed emotions again – it really is one of the most valuable things you can have. Of course I’m also looking forward to the rally itself and to being back on fast gravel. Let’s see how it goes and hopefully we can find a good feeling in the car and have a really great weekend. We’re looking forward to it.”

Romet Jürgenson said:

“I feel like we have good momentum right now. Already in Sardinia we improved our speed quite a lot, and now coming into our home event in Estonia our knowledge and experience of the roads is a lot greater. Of course, this will be our first time competing here with the Rally2 car, but I still feel as though we can do a good job. We just need to focus on getting the set-up in a good window to get the maximum performance possible. For sure this is going to be a pure performance rally, and we can’t wait to get started.”