Romet Jürgenson and co-driver Siim Oja faced a steep learning curve at Rally Islas Canarias, as their FIA Rally Star campaign continued on asphalt. The Estonian crew were forced to retire early on Friday after a pace note error led to an off on Special Stage 1. Although the damage was minor, the car became stuck and the pair were unable to continue on Friday. Restarting on Saturday, Jürgenson and Oja completed the event and gathered valuable experience on what was their first all-Tarmac rally in the WRC2 category.

Despite the early setback, the pair steadily built pace over the weekend’s remaining stages, culminating in a measured run to the finish and encouraging times during the event’s second half.

“Yeah, we ended up in a barrier basically on the first stage,” explained Jürgenson. “We didn’t get to do the full day, which really hit our confidence. It was difficult to get going again, but Saturday helped us find a rhythm, and by Sunday—especially on the second pass and the Power Stage—I felt reasonably okay. There’s still a lot to learn, but we got within a second per kilometre of the top times, which is something to build on.”

Rally Islas Canarias marked Jürgenson’s second competitive outing on Tarmac in a Rally2 car, and his first on pure circuit-style asphalt. While the result wasn’t what the crew had hoped for, the rally served its developmental purpose within the FIA Rally Star programme.

“We knew when we added Canarias to their calendar that it would be a difficult one,” said FIA Rally Star Project Leader Jérôme Roussel. “The goal wasn’t results—it was to gain experience on a surface that was completely new to them. They were taken out of their comfort zone by design, and they responded well. Once the initial mistake was behind them, they showed maturity by finishing the event cleanly and learning stage by stage. Now they have this kind of high-speed Tarmac experience in their library, which is a key part of their growth.”

Among the weekend’s highlights was a strong showing on the super special stage, where Jürgenson impressively outpaced Rally1 contender Thierry Neuville—one of several moments of promise that hinted at his growing potential.

“That was a nice surprise at least,” he said. “The car suits that kind of stage, and it was fun to see our name up there. Still, I’m not fully happy with my overall pace yet—but this was just my second Tarmac rally with the Fiesta Rally2, and the first of this type. So, realistically, I think we’re in a good place. We learnt a lot, especially about how much corner speed you can carry, and how to adapt our pace notes between passes.”

Looking ahead, Jürgenson is excited to return to his preferred surface—gravel—for the upcoming Vodafone Rally de Portugal.

“Gravel is where I feel at home. I’m looking forward to it. I think with the team around me and what I’ve already learnt on Tarmac, we can get the best out of the car and really push our performance.”

Rally Islas Canarias may not have delivered the result the Estonian duo were aiming for, but the experience gained—and the lessons learnt—will prove vital as their 2025 WRC2 season continues.

To find out more about the FIA Rally Star programme, visit https://www.fia.com/fia-rally-star and follow @FIARallyStar on social media.