Two-time and reigning world champion Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) won stage one, 5.9 seconds ahead of Tänak.

Tänak had been fastest in Thursday morning's shakedown tests. However, the Estonian had out with hard compound tires and conceded after the state that this was the wrong choice – most of the front runners went out on softs. He also lost a few seconds when going wide on one bend, and hitting a hay bale in the process.

The 11-kilometer opening stage held at the Bikernieki circuit just outside Riga on Thursday evening favored those who opted for soft compound tires. These included Toyota drivers Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), and local hero Martinš Sesks (M-Sport).

Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja had crashed out of their home rally, a European Championship round for this year, and under FIA rules had to go for a medical checkup ahead of Rally Latvia.

For this reason, Hyundai has earmarked Andreas Mikkelsen as Tänak's understudy, should the Estonian not be cleared to compete.

Both the team and Tänak emphasized that this was merely a precaution, and indeed both driver and co-driver were given the all-clear.

Rovanperä likened Rally Latvia to something of a halfway house – as indeed Latvia is geographically – between Rally Poland and Rally Estonia. "The gravel is a bit different, but it should be a very fast rally," he told DirtFish.

Tänak meanwhile said via a team press release: "The routes are very similar to those in Poland, where we had a successful Sunday. Compared with the terrain, the roads are similar to those in Estonia."

Other Estonians competing in Latvia are Gregor Jeets and his co-driver Timo Taniel (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2), and Joosep Ralf Nõgene, plus co-driver Hendrik Kraav (Renault Clio Rally3).

Day two starts at 10.00 a.m. with stage two, followed by six more stages on Friday. Saturday brings two sets of four stages, separated by a maintenance break, culminating in Sunday's final four stages.

Rally Latvia became a full-calendar WRC event for the first time this season and replaces Rally Estonia, which was an ERC event this year. Rally Estonia is set to return to the WRC schedule for 2025, however.

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