TANAK REVEALS VIRVES BACKING
Ott Tanak has revealed how he helped Robert Virves to become Junior World champion by handing his cashstrapped compatriot financial support.
Virves has made no secret of his money woes and, like Briton Jon Armstrong, had to go in search of extra backing to contest the Acropolis Rally finale earlier this month.
Tanak, who followed a rags-to-riches path earlier in this career, said: “He has done an incredible job, he was definitely a lot smarter than I used to be. He won this rally and has been consistent through the whole season so a very smart drive and it’s been a big job from his side to get the funding this season.
“I know how hard it’s been for him just sitting behind the doors and asking for one dollar here, one dollar there, so it’s been coming hard to him but fair play, it’s a great prize for this Junior category. It’s a great place to start a career and for sure we hope there is another generation coming now.”
Virves, who is from Saaremaa, the same island in Estonia as Tanak, gets a fourevent WRC2 prize drive in 2023 driving an M-Sport Poland-run Ford Fiesta Rally2.