The program for the 2024 Rally Latvia

Le Rally of Latvia, 8th round of the 2024 season of WRC, constitutes the only real novelty on the calendar this year. And again… It is in fact not completely a new creation since the test belonged to theERC since 2013. An alternation has been put in place with neighboring Estonia which regains Latvia's rank in the ERC before the roles are reversed again in 2025.

For this first at this level, there will be 20 special stages for a total route of 310 kilometers. Crews who have already competed in this event previously will find sections borrowed from past editions. They will therefore not be surprised to be racing on very fast roads (Martins Sesks won with an average speed of 113 km/h in 2023, on a Rally2).

There will be 40 crews at the start of this new gravel event, with the notable presence of 10 Rally1 and the second participation of Martins Sesks in the premier category. At home, the Latvian will discover the Ford Puma in its electrified version, he who took part in the Polish Rally with a mount without the hybrid system to acclimatize to Rally1. He will support the two regular drivers at M-Sport, Namely Adrien fourmaux and Grégoire Munster.

In Latvia, Toyota will enter four Yaris Rally1 with the announced presence of Kalle Rovanperä and Sébastien Ogier. The eight-time world champion's participation in the Latvian event was confirmed a few weeks after his road accident in recognition of the Polish Rally. At the house of Hyundai, as usual, there will be three cars at the start: Esapekka Lappi has been selected to drive the third i20 N Rally1 in the running.

Among the Rally2s, a little surprise: Brandon Semenuk, double American rally champion, will make his debut in the World Rally Championship during the Latvia Rally, aboard a Toyota Yaris. Originally from Canada, Brandon Semenuk is a factory driver for Subaru Motorsports USA and has found success on two and four wheels. In addition to his rallying exploits, the thirty-three-year-old rider has won three gold medals at the Freeride Mountain Bike World Tour and won the Red Bull Joyride five times.

Other key WRC2 entries include Oliver Solberg, Gus Greensmith and Josh McErlean in Škoda Fabia RS Rally2s, Nikolay Gryazin in a Citroën C3 Rally2 and Sami Pajari in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.

Rally Latvia 2024 – Program

Thursday July 18 (11,13 km)
6:31 a.m. – Shakedown : Cimdenieki – 3,58 km
19:05 p.m. – SS1 : Biķernieki Track – 11,13 km
Friday July 19 (120,95 km)
9:00 p.m. – SS2 : Milzkalne 1 – 4,99 km
9:45 p.m. – SS3 : Tukums 1 – 27,56 km
11:00 p.m. – SS4 : Andumi – 17,86 km
13:30 p.m. – SS5 : Milzkalne 2 – 4,99 km
14:15 p.m. – SS6 : Tukums 2 – 27,56 km
15:30 p.m. – SS7 : Strazde – 17,44 km
16:20 p.m. – SS8 : Talsi – 20,52 km
Saturday July 20 (104,00 km)
7:20 p.m. – SS9 : Pilskalns – 18,87 km
8:35 p.m. – SS10 : Snēpele – 17,52 km
10:30 p.m. – SS11 : Īvande – 23,04 km
12:05 p.m. – SS12 : Vecpils 1 – 12,64 km
15:15 p.m. – SS13 : Podnieki – 10,09 km
16:05 p.m. – SS14 : Vecpils 2 – 12,64 km
18:00 p.m. – SS15 : Dinsdurbe – 6,64 km
19:15 p.m. – SS16 : Liepāja City Stage – 2,56 km
Sunday July 21 (64,08 km)
7:55 p.m. – SS17 : Krogzemji 1 – 18,70 km
9:05 p.m. – SS18 : Mazilmāja 1 – 13,34 km
10:55 p.m. – SS19 : Krogzemji 2 – 18,70 km
13:15 p.m. – SS20 : Mazilmāja 2 – 13,34 km

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