Speeding: World Champion Ogier penalised before the start of Rally Estonia

During Wednesday’s recce, three drivers were found to have been driving at excessive speeds on public roads. Alongside the French Toyota driver Ogier, WRC2 drivers Yuki Yamamoto (Toyota) and local favourite Robert Virves (Škoda) were penalised.

Yuki Yamamoto: 500 Euro-Strafe wegen Speeding

Foto: Red Bull

Yamamoto received the heaviest penalty after being clocked at over 70 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. He was fined 500 euros.

Virves was clocked at just under 60 km/h in another 50 km/h zone and was fined 225 euros.

Nine-time world champion Ogier was also caught speeding in a 50 km/h zone at just over 60 km/h, for which he was fined 275 euros.

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Lokalmatador Robert Virves: Vor der Rallye - zu schnell

Foto: Red Bull

The teams used Wednesday to explore the Estonian gravel roads ahead of the start of the event. Unusually, Rally Estonia, the ninth round of this year’s World Rally Championship, does not begin until Friday this year.

Friday’s programme features the shakedown in the morning, followed by six special stages, to kick off the ninth round of the World Rally Championship season in style.

This year’s Rally Estonia is being held according to an unusually compact schedule. The fast gravel rally will be completed in just over two days, although the competitors will still have to tackle 18 special stages with a total length of more than 300 special stage kilometres.