Mille Johansson and Johan Grönvall secure third place in the category, finishing within reach of the overall top ten.
A steadily improving rally for Luca Hoelbling and Federico Fiorini, who reached the finish without encountering any setbacks on their first appearance on Estonian roads.
The Delfi Rally Estonia delivered a rewarding weekend for MS Munaretto, crowned by Mille Johansson and Johan Grönvall’s podium finish in WRC2 Challenger and the encouraging Estonian debut of Luca Hoelbling and Federico Fiorini.
At the wheel of the number 31 Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, Johansson and Grönvall secured third place in WRC2 Challenger, placing themselves firmly among some of the most competitive crews in the category. The Swedish pairing also completed the rally fifth in WRC2 and fourteenth overall, moving within reach of the top ten in a classification largely occupied at the front by Rally1 machinery.
For Johansson, the result represents another important achievement following his sixth-place finish at Rally di Roma Capitale. On Estonia’s exceptionally fast roads, the young Swede adapted his pace to an event where even the slightest hesitation is magnified by the high average speeds. Together with Grönvall, he built the result through an assured approach, remaining in contention with the leading WRC2 Challenger crews all the way to the finish.
The podium earned around Tartu further confirms the crew’s development and adds another significant chapter to Johansson’s season. His familiarity with the fast stages of Northern Europe translated into a measured performance, while the MS Munaretto-prepared Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 carried the Swedish duo through all eighteen special stages and towards a noteworthy result in one of the year’s most demanding rallies.
The weekend also produced a positive outcome for Luca Hoelbling and Federico Fiorini, competing in the number 61 car. Making their first appearance at Rally Estonia, the Italian crew approached the event with the aim of understanding terrain markedly different from that normally encountered in the Italian Gravel Rally Championship.
Their rally unfolded through a steady rise through the classification, supported by the gradual refinement of their pace notes and an increasingly effective interpretation of Estonia’s high-speed sections. Having ended the opening day in thirty-fifth position, Hoelbling recovered ground during the following legs and climbed to thirty-second overall out of a total of 53 entered crews.
The result carries added weight when considering the complexity of the route and the length of the World Rally Championship event. At this level, simply reaching the finish can never be taken for granted, particularly without technical issues or incidents capable of undoing the work completed over the weekend. Hoelbling and Fiorini instead covered the entire competitive distance without encountering any setbacks, gathering valuable mileage and useful information for the remainder of the season.
The Delfi Rally Estonia therefore ended with both Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 cars at the finish and a weekend of contrasting but equally valuable outcomes for MS Munaretto. On one side came the World Championship podium of Johansson and Grönvall, while on the other was the progressive performance of Hoelbling and Fiorini. Two different results, united by the ability to complete one of the most exacting challenges on the international calendar.
