2022 WRC Estonia Predictions: Can Tanak Win on Home Soil?

By: Eniko

Posted: July 14, 2022

Updated: July 14, 2022

The 2022 Rally Estonia is held this week, 14-17 July
It is the 7th event of the 2022 World Rally Championship
Current championship leader Kalle Rovanpera and home favorite Ott Tanak can win

Image source: Kasepats, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The 2022 World Rally Championship continues this weekend in Estonia, with the seventh event of the season. The local favorite, Ott Tanak is among the top favorites in the 2022 WRC Estonia predictions. Along with the current championship leader, Kalle Rovanpera who also won the race here last year. But the other top drivers like Neuville, Evans, and Breen will also aim for victory in the Baltic country. This will be the 12th edition of the Estonian Rally after the first race was held in 2010. It was won by local hero Markko Martin who competed in the World Rally Championship between 2000 and 2005. The country also hosted the European Championships between 2014 and 2016. Then the event made its WRC debut in 2020. The race runs on smooth gravel roads in the southern part of the country. With the city of Tartu being the starting and finishing point. The 24 stages will cover 314,26km and will include very technical gravel roads with jumps and crests. Another local favorite, Ott Tanak won the race the most times, on four occasions. While Finnish youngster, Kalle Rovanpera is the defending champion after finishing ahead of Breen and Neuville last year.

2022 WRC Estonia predictions mention Rovanpera and Tanak as top favorites

Kalle Rovanpera has been amazing this season after winning four races out of six, at the age of only 21. The Finnish driver is leading the championship with a massive, 65 points lead ahead of Thierry Neuville. He also got great memories from the Estonian Rally after winning his first WRC race here last year. The Toyota driver lives in Tallinn so knows the country well. And he will surely aim for another great result in his second home. Online sportsbooks in Estonia mention Rovanpera as the biggest favorite. They offer the smallest odds, 2.75 for his victory this weekend. But the home favorite, Ott Tanak follows Rovanpera closely in the 2022 WRC Estonia predictions. His odds to win the race on home soil are 3.74. The 2019 world champion has already won this event four times, making him the most successful driver here. But Tanak hasn’t got the best season so far. He only got one win from Italy. While he had to retire from the previous race in Kenya. The Hyundai driver is still in third place in the overall standings. But he would need a better performance now in order to have a chance of winning the title.

Chances of Neuville, Evans, and Breen

Tanak’s teammate, Thierry Neuville is in second place in the championship, thanks to his balanced performance all season. (Except for the Italian Rally where he only finished in 41st place.) The Belgian was third in last year’s race here which can be a promising sign. He finished five times as a runner-up in the championship. So Neuville would need a win now if he wants to be a world champion. His odds to cross the finish line first are 6.00. Similar odds are offered for the victory of Rovanpera’s teammate, Elfyn Evans who was the runner–up in the previous race in Kenya. The Welsh driver is in 6th place in the championship with two runner-up finishes and one retirement. He got a 4th and 5th-place finish from Estonia, and the odds of 6.50 to win here now. Online gambling sites in Estonia also mention M-Sport Ford driver Craig Breen among the favorites. The Irish pilot is in fifth place in the overall table but has produced solid results in the last few races. Breen is aiming for the first WRC victory of his career. And he has a very good chance of getting it in the race where he finished as a runner-up in the last two years. His odds to do so are 7.50 on 1xBet.