› Robert Virves and co-driver Jakko Viilo (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) celebrate their second WRC2 victory of the season at the eighth round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
› The Estonians beat their Toksport WRT teammates Andreas Mikkelsen/Jørn Listerud (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) after an event-long fight.
› Four Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews finish inside the top ten of the WRC2 category at the toughest European gravel event of the year.
Loutraki (GRC), 28 June 2026 – Two Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews of team Toksport WRT fought tooth and nail for WRC2 victory at the Acropolis Rally Greece, eighth round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Robert Virves and co-driver Jakko Viilo from Estonia traded stage wins with Norwegian pairing Andreas Mikkelsen/Jørn Listerud over the whole event. Eventually, a puncture decided the outcome.
The “Rally of the Gods” kicked off with the longest leg, totalling 129.22 kilometres over rough gravel roads north of Loutraki. Sharp rocks posed a constant risk of punctures. Few crews escaped Friday without experiencing some drama. However, Andreas Mikkelsen and co-driver Jørn Listerud brought their Toksport WRT-run Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 unscathed through the six stages, where tyre preservation shaped the fight for positions as much as outright pace.
The only problem for the two Norwegians: The lost a couple of seconds stuck behind Roberto Daprà and co-driver Luca Guglielmetti. The Italians had stopped the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 of Delta Rally Team to change a puncture and had only just rejoined shortly before Andreas Mikkelsen/Jørn Listerud arrived at that spot. Fair enough: The officials later adjusted the Norwegians’ stage time saving their WRC2 lead.
On Friday evening, Andreas Mikkelsen/Jørn Listerud were leading their Toksport WRT teammates Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo by 8.2 seconds. “It’s still a long way to go. The battle with Andreas will be interesting,” Robert Virves commented. Two positions down on the Estonians followed Jan Solans and co-driver Rodrigo Sanjuán. They managed to keep the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 of team PH.Ph out of trouble, but struggled with tyre management. “I tried to be smooth and keep the rhythm. Nevertheless, sometimes it felt, as if the tyres had left the chat,” Jan Solans joked.
By that point, Roberto Daprà/Luca Guglielmetti as well as Mille Johansson/Johan Grönvall (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 of team MS Munaretto) due to punctures had already lost too much time to be in contention for a top position in the WRC2. Czech duo Martin Prokop and co-driver Michal Ernst, who are always a force to be reckoned with on rough gravel rallies, had to retire their family-run Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 altogether.
During Saturday, Andreas Mikkelsen/Jørn Listerud and Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo traded times throughout all the leg’s six stages. The Estonians were fastest in WRC2 four times, the Norwegians responded with two stage wins. After more than 100 kilometres of competition, the gap between the two Škoda crews had grown from 8.2 to 13.9 seconds. Meanwhile, Jan Solans/Rodrigo Sanjuán had climbed from fourth to third position in WRC2.
Over the course of two days, Andreas Mikkelsen had managed to avoid a puncture. However, stage 15 on Sunday morning brought drama for the Norwegian. “I hit a rock on the outside. We had to change a wheel,“ the former WRC2 champion explained the delay of more than one and a half minute. This mishap handed the category lead to Robert Virves and co-driver Jakko Viilo.
One stage later, Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo narrowly escaped disaster. First, they had to exchange helmets. “Arriving at the stage, I couldn't hear Jakko,“ Robert Virves described. „After the swap, it was fine.“ And secondly, a tyre came off the rim. But the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 reached the stage finish with a delay of just over 15 seconds. With only one stage remaining, the Estonians didn’t let the WRC2 victory slip out of their hands.
“It was definitely not the easiest rally, but an amazing weekend,” said Robert Virves at the finish line. “I really enjoyed the fight with Andreas throughout the rally. It's a shame it ended with a puncture for him. But that's rallying sometimes. Great job from Toksport WRT. Our Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 was brilliant — no issues at all.”
With his second WRC2 victory of the season from as many starts, Robert Virves climbed to sixth position in the WRC2 Drivers’ standings. He has five events left to score points – at least two more than all competitors positioned ahead of him.
Clearly, Andreas Mikkelsen was not too pleased with coming second. “I think we really deserved this one. But the sun will rise again tomorrow,” was the Norwegian's laconic response. He is now in seventh position in the overall standings. With a total haul of 42 points, Robert Virves and Andreas Mikkelsen propelled Toksport WRT to the top of the WRC2 Teams’ standings.
Jan Solans/Rodrigo Sanjuán reached the finish in eighth position of the category. Team BATIRACE’s Mattéo Chatillon and co-driver Maxence Cornuau from France in ninth brought the total of Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews inside the WRC2 top ten to four.
Two Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews also stood on the podium of the WRC Masters Cup. The category reserved for drivers 50 years of age and older was won by Mexican Miguel Granados and Spanish navigator Marc Martí. Uğur Soylu and co-driver Mehmet Yalçin from Turkey received the trophy for second position.
Three weeks until the next round of the FIA World Rally Championship: The WRC2 teams meet again at Rally Estonia (17-19 July 2026). Last year, Robert Virves and co-driver Jakko Viilo landed a much celebrated home victory.
Number of the rally: 14
The battle between the Toksport WRT crews Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo and Andreas Mikkelsen/Jørn Listerud was so fierce, that they scored fastest WRC2 times over all but four of the 17 stages. The Estonians won seven stages on their way to category victory. The Norwegians topped the WRC2 classification six times. Jan Solans/Rodrigo Sanjuán added one more fastest time, bringing the total for Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews to 14 WRC2 stage wins.
Acropolis Rally Greece (GRC), 25-28 June 2026,
8th round of the FIA World Rally Championship, Result WRC2
1 Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo (EST/EST), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, 3:46:30.8 hours
2 Andreas Mikkelsen/Jørn Listerud (NOR/NOR), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, +1:02.4 minutes
3 Alejandro Cachón/Borja Rozada (ESP/ESP), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, +2:03.2 minutes
4 Roope Korhonen/Anssi Viinikka (FIN/FIN), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, +2:53.3 minutes
5 Diego Domínguez/Rogelio Peñate (PAR/ESP), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, +3:43.1 minutes
6 Léo Rossel/Guillaume Mercoiret (FRA/FRA), Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale, +4:10.6 minutes
Standings WRC2/Drivers (after 8 of 14 events)
1 Roope Korhonen (FIN), Toyota, 64 points
2 Alejandro Cachón (ESP), Toyota, 61 points
3 Léo Rossel (FRA), Lancia, 60 points
4 Nikolay Gryazin (BUL), Lancia, 56 points
5 Yohan Rossel (FRA), Lancia, 52 points
6 Robert Virves (EST), Škoda, 50 points
7 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR), Škoda, 44 points
Standings WRC2/Teams (after 8 of 14 events)
1 Toksport WRT, Škoda, 168 points
2 Lancia Corse HF, Lancia, 163 points
3 M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, Ford, 45 points
4 2C Junior Team, Citroën, 15 points
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