With the BRX Baltic Rallycross Championship entering its decisive phase, every point matters more than ever. Heading into Round 4 at Raassilla RX, Estonia’s Sander Roosimaa sits second in the BMW RX3000 championship standings, chasing both the Baltic title and the Estonian championship.<\/p>\n
But for Roosimaa, 2026 has never been just about results. Over the winter, he and his team completed an ambitious project that is building an entirely new race car from the ground up.<\/p>\n
“The main goal this season has been to spend as much time as possible in the new car, get comfortable with it and become really good friends with it. As for results, the targets remain the same – the Estonian championship title and a top-three finish in the Baltic Championship.”<\/p>\n
The BMW RX3000 category has always been one of the closest classes in Baltic rallycross, and according to Roosimaa, the competition has become even stronger when the championship crosses the border.<\/p>\n
“Our class has always had incredibly strong competition, and that’s still the case today. But you can definitely feel that the level gets even higher at the Latvian and Lithuanian rounds.”<\/p>\n
Although winning BRX x EST RX Round 2 was a major highlight, Roosimaa says his proudest achievement came long before standing on the podium.<\/p>\n
“The biggest success this season has been building such a great race car together with an amazing group of people. Winning BRX x EST RX Round 2 was the perfect reward.”<\/p>\n
Like every new project, the season hasn’t been without challenges.<\/p>\n
“The biggest challenge has been finding the perfect setup that suits me, the car and different tracks. And, of course, there have also been a few on-track incidents where I’ve earned myself a couple of new ‘friends’.”<\/p>\n
When it comes to preparing the car, Roosimaa isn’t the type of driver who simply arrives and races.<\/p>\n
“Everything on the car is done together with the team. It’s a real team effort. “Testing opportunities are relatively limited throughout the season.<\/p>\n
“Before the season we tested mainly on more “classical” circuit tracks. Otherwise, most of our testing comes during the official practice day before the international race weekends.”<\/p>\n
Asked about his favourite Baltic circuit, Roosimaa immediately points south.<\/p>\n
“Vilky\u010diai is my favourite. Unlike many Estonian tracks, it has everything from gravel and asphalt to high-speed sections. The circuit preparation and organisation at Vilky\u010diai is also first class.”<\/p>\n
Raassilla, however, has very different challenges for this rallycross classification.<\/p>\n
“We have a few ideas for Raassilla, but honestly for me, racing there is more of an obligation than pure enjoyment. We race because we love the sport and the excitement, and Raassilla demands a very different approach.”<\/p>\n
With such close competition in BMW RX3000, predicting the title fight is nearly impossible.<\/p>\n
“Everyone is a rival. Usually we’re all within one second of each other, and very often it’s down to just hundredths of a second.”<\/p>\n
When asked to describe himself with a rallycross slogan, Roosimaa smiled and came up with one that perfectly reflects his years of experience, often with car that has not been as good as it is now.<\/p>\n
“A smart driver with a red lightning bolt.”<\/p>\n
After years in motorsport, Roosimaa believes experience is one of his biggest strengths. “I like to think my “head number” is bigger than my foot number.”<\/p>\n
That combination of speed, patience and experience could prove crucial as the BMW RX3000 title fight continues at Raassilla RX on 25 July, where another chapter of one of the championship’s closest battles is about to unfold.<\/p>\n
BRX Baltikumi rallikrossi meistriv\u00f5istlused on j\u00f5udnud hooaja otsustavasse faasi ning iga punkt muutub j\u00e4rjest v\u00e4\u00e4rtuslikumaks. Enne Raassilla RX rajal toimuvat neljandat etappi hoiab Eesti s\u00f5itja Sander Roosimaa BMW RX3000 klassi punktitabelis teist kohta, p\u00fc\u00fcdes nii Baltikumi kui ka Eesti meistritiitlit.<\/p>\n
Roosimaa jaoks pole aga 2026. aasta olnud ainult tulemuste nimel s\u00f5itmine.<\/p>\n
Talve jooksul valmis koos meeskonnaga t\u00e4iesti uus v\u00f5istlusauto, projekt, mille eesm\u00e4rk oli ehitada nullist masin, millega oleks v\u00f5imalik v\u00f5idelda k\u00f5ige k\u00f5rgemate kohtade eest.<\/p>\n
\u201eSelle hooaja peamine eesm\u00e4rk on olnud v\u00f5imalikult palju uue autoga s\u00f5ita, sellega harjuda ja temaga v\u00e4ga heaks s\u00f5braks saada. Tulemuste osas on eesm\u00e4rgid endiselt samad \u2013 Eesti meistritiitel ja koht Baltikumi meistriv\u00f5istluste esikolmikus.\u201d<\/p>\n
BMW RX3000 klass on l\u00e4bi aastate olnud \u00fcks Baltikumi rallikrossi k\u00f5ige tasav\u00e4gisemaid ning Roosimaa hinnangul pole konkurents sugugi v\u00e4henenud.<\/p>\n
\u201eMeie klassis on konkurents alati v\u00e4ga tugev olnud ja on seda ka praegu. Baltikumi etappidel L\u00e4tis ja Leedus on aga tase veelgi k\u00f5rgem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kuigi BRX x EST RX teise etapi v\u00f5it oli hooaja \u00fcks k\u00f5rghetki, peab Roosimaa oma suurimaks \u00f5nnestumiseks hoopis midagi muud. \u201eSuurim \u00f5nnestumine on olnud nii hea auto ehitamine koos suurep\u00e4raste inimestega. BRX x EST RX teise etapi v\u00f5it oli sellele ideaalne tasu.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nagu iga uue projektiga, pole ka see hooaeg m\u00f6\u00f6dunud probleemideta.<\/p>\n
\u201eK\u00f5ige rohkem on peavalu valmistanud auto seadistamine nii, et see sobiks mulle, autole ja erinevatele radadele. Ning loomulikult on rajal ette tulnud ka olukordi, kust olen endale m\u00f5ned uued ‘s\u00f5brad’ juurde saanud.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roosimaa ei kuulu nende s\u00f5itjate hulka, kes lihtsalt v\u00f5istlusele kohale ilmuvad.<\/p>\n
\u201eAuto juures teeme kogu t\u00f6\u00f6 koos meeskonnaga. See on t\u00e4ielik meeskonnat\u00f6\u00f6.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ka testimisv\u00f5imalused on hooaja jooksul \u00fcsna piiratud.<\/p>\n
\u201eEnne hooaega testisime rohkem klassikalistel ringradadel. \u00dclej\u00e4\u00e4nud testimine toimub peamiselt v\u00f5istlustele eelnevatel ametlikel treeningp\u00e4evadel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kui jutuks tulevad Baltikumi lemmikrajad, ei pea Roosimaa pikalt m\u00f5tlema.<\/p>\n
\u201eVilky\u010diai on minu lemmik. Seal on olemas k\u00f5ik \u2013 kruus, asfalt ja suured kiirused. Lisaks on raja ettevalmistus ja korraldus alati tipptasemel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Raassilla seab BMW RX3000 klassi s\u00f5itjatele aga hoopis teistsugused v\u00e4ljakutsed.<\/p>\n
\u201eRaassilla jaoks on m\u00f5ned m\u00f5tted olemas, aga ausalt \u00f6eldes on seal s\u00f5itmine minu jaoks pigem kohustus kui puhas nauding. Me tegeleme selle alaga eelk\u00f5ige emotsiooni ja s\u00f5idur\u00f5\u00f5mu p\u00e4rast ning Raassilla n\u00f5uab hoopis teistsugust l\u00e4henemist v\u00f5rreldes teiste baltikumi radadega.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nii tihedas konkurentsis on keeruline v\u00e4lja tuua vaid \u00fchte suurimat rivaali.<\/p>\n
\u201eK\u00f5ik on konkurendid. Tavaliselt mahume k\u00f5ik \u00fche sekundi sisse ja v\u00e4ga sageli otsustavad kohad hoopis sajandikud.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kui palusime kirjeldada ennast \u00fche rallikrossi sloganiga, pakkus Roosimaa v\u00e4lja lause, mis peegeldab h\u00e4sti tema aastatepikkust kogemust, sageli ka autodega, mis pole olnud nii konkurentsiv\u00f5imelised kui praegune.<\/p>\n
\u201eTark punase v\u00e4lguga s\u00f5itja.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pika autospordikarj\u00e4\u00e4ri jooksul on ta \u00f5ppinud, et kogemused loevad rohkem kui pelgalt julgus.<\/p>\n
\u201eMulle meeldib m\u00f5elda, et minu “pea number” on suurem kui jala number.\u201d \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n
Just see kogemuste, kannatlikkuse ja kiiruse kombinatsioon v\u00f5ib saada m\u00e4\u00e4ravaks juba 25. juulil Raassilla RX rajal, kus BMW RX3000 klassi tiitliheitlus j\u00e4tkub j\u00e4rjekordse olulise peat\u00fckiga.<\/p>\n
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