Tomorrow, the region's biggest circuit race, the Estonian Grand Prix, starts at the auto24ring in Pärnu, where Hannes Soomer, Rain Pilve and other current and former tops of circuit racing will be on the track.
Already this weekend, the Estonian Grand Prix 2019, the biggest international circuit race in the Baltic States, will take place for the sixth time at auto24ring. It is a stage of the Northern European, Finnish, Baltic and Estonian Championships.
"It's always good to win at home," stressed Hannes Soomer, who was the fastest on the bikes in practice today. "I'm sure it will be around 1.14," offered Soomer, who set an auto24ring record of 1.13,953 in Superbike a month ago and also has his most successful weekend in the Supersport World Championship so far - 7th place in Misano. He also recently had a thorough test day with Dunlop, which showed him what he needs to do with the tyres at the Auto24ring, where asphalt temperatures can get very high on a warm day.
"It's a track where you have to be very precise," said Petri Blomqvist from Finland, who is competing at the Auto24ring for the fourth time and really enjoys racing here. Compared to yesterday's rainy day, today's track is very different, but also very slippery, according to many drivers. Blomqvist is currently leading the Northern European championship for the 500bhp V8 Thunder cars, but Toni Lähteenmäki is also tied on points with three weekends of racing still to go. "It's going to be a very tight race," Blomqvist was confident.
"I'm just racing for the fun of it," said Rain Pilve, whose last race was more than a year ago. He's on track in the BGT Pro class at the invitation of Danish driver Frederik Holm's team and said after practice that the race felt close to perfect. "In the old days I could tell when there was a break of a couple of weeks in the race, but the feeling came back quickly with training. Now it's been a long gap."
Nearly 150 racers from neighbouring countries will take part in the Estonian Grand Prix in 18 classes.
"Be sure to come to Pärnu, because only once a year you have the opportunity to see a top-level car and motorcycle circuit race in Estonia," said Toivo Asmer, the main organiser.
The competition will open on Saturday 29 June at 12 noon. It will be broadcast internationally on Channel 12 and Postimees online. The competition will also feature an extensive entertainment area with activities for children and adults alike: from an electric card demonstration to a balance line and other games and a band on Saturday evening. Tickets for the competition cost €10, and the event is free of charge for children up to 14 years old.
The Estonian Grand Prix is supported by EAS, the Ministry of Culture, AS Postimees Grupp, AS Ekspress Grupp, Husqvarna Estonia, the City of Pärnu, Tallink, Henkell, Fremax, Mariine Auto - Peugeot, Pere Optika - Motopere eyewear shop, Jazz Laundries, AS Toode, Cramo Estonia and Skamet.
For more information: www.estoniangrandprix.com
