Oliver Solberg claimed three WRC stage wins on Friday to extend his overall lead at WRC Estonia 2025 to 12.4s over Ott Tanak.
The seasoned Swedish driver piloting a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 alongside co-driver Elliott Edmondson stunned the World Rally Championship field by surging to the top of the leaderboard in one of the most competitive events on the WRC calendar.
Solberg’s sensational pace saw him secure a commanding overnight lead of over twelve seconds, a testament to both his confidence and the capabilities of his new machinery.
The anticipation ahead of the Friday stages at Rally Estonia 2025 was palpable, with spectators and pundits alike eager to see how returning and established drivers would fare on Estonia’s fast, flowing gravel roads.
This year’s itinerary posed a significant challenge right from the outset, featuring a blend of technical forest lanes, wide-open straights, and signature jumps that have become hallmarks of the event.
The opening 24.35km Peipsiaare stage set the tone for a relentless test of skill with drivers needing to deliver maximum attack while maintaining composure over loose, unpredictable surfaces.
Oliver Solberg had started the day with measured optimism after admitting before the rally that his primary objective was merely to finish and reacquaint himself with Rally1 machinery, but his pace immediately suggested higher expectations.
Having only confirmed his Rally1 return with Toyota 24 hours after his WRC2 class win in Greece and clocking just two days of testing in the GR Yaris Rally1, few could have predicted the raw speed the 23-year-old would unleash.
Solberg’s mastery over the opening leg was evident as he claimed not only his maiden WRC stage win but went on to secure a total of three fastest stage times throughout Friday.
By the conclusion of the Elva spectator stage, Oliver Solberg had extended his overall lead at WRC Estonia 2025 to a blistering 12.4s, prompting an emotional response from the young driver.
“Today was the best day of my life,” said Solberg. ”To lead the rally, win stages and have this amazing feeling in the car. I was like – I want to drift and have some fun.”
Hot on Solberg’s heels was home hero Ott Tanak driving the Hyundai i20 N Rally1. The Estonian, eager to perform in front of an enthusiastic home crowd set a furious pace to claim two stage wins but struggled with balance issues in the afternoon stages.
Meanwhile, reigning champion Thierry Neuville held onto third at the end of Friday, a further 1.8s behind his Hyundai teammate. Neuville had started the day as the overnight leader after claiming the opening super special stage but lost time in Friday’s morning loop, albeit, he made progress in the afternoon.
Kalle Rovanpera found himself fourth in the day’s standings, 20.1s adrift, after struggles with the Hankook gravel tyres, describing the day as another “painful” chapter in a challenging season.
“One more day of struggle like every day this year,” Rovanpera vented his frustration. “Hopefully a bit better starting place can help tomorrow, but I think it’s just going to be chin to the chest towards the next disappointment like always.”
Adrien Fourmaux had suffered a slow start to the day but made significant strides in the afternoon by claiming the fastest time on stage six, elevating his Hyundai to fifth in the overall classification.
Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta trailed in sixth by a slender two-tenths of a second after a close battle with Fourmaux. However, Katsuta rebounded from an intercom problem on stage three to later claim stage 8 win alongside teammate Elfyn Evans, who finished seventh overall.
Evans had finished the morning loop just 0.5 seconds behind Katsuta but the disadvantage of opening the road later caught up with the Welshman, ultimately dropping to seventh by the end of the day.
Meanwhile, his teammate Sami Pajari finished eighth after struggling with power issues throughout the day, limiting his ability to challenge further up the order.
The Ford M-Sport contingent had a mixed day after Martins Sesks endured a spin that cost him precious time in the early stages, while Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster overshot a junction in stage three, a sequence that saw them hemorrhage vital seconds.
Munster’s troubles were compounded by a front-right puncture sustained after striking a rock in stage four, leaving him further adrift in eleventh place. However, McErlean managed to overhaul Sesks by day’s end to climb to tenth, offering a glimmer of optimism amid the setbacks.
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