Entries for the 60th Ardeca Ypres Rally have only been open for a few days, and we can already welcome the first international top driver. The 25-year-old Estonian Romet Jürgenson, last year’s Junior World Rally Champion, has submitted his entry. No doubt he will be looking to gain valuable tarmac experience.
The Estonian will be behind the wheel of Bernd Casier’s Ford Fiesta Rally2, and he will be navigated by local Diederik Pattyn. Jürgenson has had a successful start to the year, having won the Kielder Carlisle Stages, a round of the British Championship, with a Ford Fiesta Rally2.
With that success, he is eager to hone his tarmac skills in Ypres. “Of course, I know the Ypres Rally. It is a competition with a great international appeal, certainly after the two that were a part of the World Championship. In the past, I was asked a few times by Emilia Abel, the race director at the time, to come to Ypres, but it didn’t work out then. I am happy that I received an interesting proposal again and that I was able to respond positively this time,” Jürgenson said.
“It is very interesting for me to expand my experience on tarmac in Ypres, because in Estonia I mainly drove on gravel. I could still use some more tarmac experience. I am not putting any pressure on myself for my first participation, because it will also be the first time that the notes will be read in English by Diederik Pattyn.
“Notes in English, I am somewhat familiar with that, because I played a lot of rally games in my teenage years! Jürgenson laughed. “I would like to thank the local partners and organiser Alain Penasse for this opportunity.”
Jürgenson will drive the Ford Fiesta Rally2 of Bernd Casier. Thanks to the support of M-Sport, the car will be equipped with the latest specifications.
It will also be a great challenge for Diederik Pattyn in his home rally. “Of course, I have a lot of experience in Ypres, including with Bart Sobry, Nikias Priem, Chris Van Woensel and Paul Lietaer, but for Romet I will be reading notes in English for the first time. I once did it during reconnaissance for a Brit, but he eventually forfeited before the race,” Pattyn said.
“Together with local partners, M-Sport and Jourdan Serderidis, we were able to make this entry a reality. I will soon sit down with Romet to get to know each other. It is clear that he wants to gain experience on asphalt without too much pressure.”
With Romet Jürgenson, the event has its first big name on the starting list. The Estonian is the current FIA Rally Star and, above all, the reigning Junior World Champion.
There is no doubt that Jürgenson won’t have the rally his own way, and we will hear a lot more about leading entries in the future. Make sure you get ready for a great Ardeca Ypres Rally, taking place on the weekend of 27 and 28 June in Ypres.
