After winning the Pro Am Supercar category in the 2023 RallyX championship, Maiko Tamm pays tribute to his mentor at TT Motorsport, Ivo Traubergs, and assesses his options for the 2024 season.
Having beaten Viktor Vranckx in his first season at this level of racing, Maiko Tamm is reaping the benefits of working with the former European Autocross Championship bronze medallist.
“Even though the TT Motorsport team is run by Ugis and Ivo Traubergs, I have mainly worked with Ivo,” points out Maiko Tamm.
“In fact, it was with him that I made my first steps in rallycross four years ago in the Latvian championship in the Lada RX class. Now we’re competing on a completely different level, but Ivo is not only a mentor to me, he’s also a great teacher. His knowledge and science of racing has been an invaluable resource for me. Ivo has been able to guide me step by step, helping me to develop my skills as a driver and gain confidence behind the wheel”.
“He has always supported me and believed in me, even when I doubted my potential at times. I’m very grateful to Ivo for everything he’s done for me. I know I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I have so far if he hadn’t been by my side. The same goes for the whole TT Motorsport team.”
Indeed, Maiko Tamm has won no less than three Supercar titles in the last two years, with two national titles to go with his RallyX championship crown.
“My best memory of this 2023 season will definitely be the final stage of the championship at Höljes. Not only was it a tough race, but it was also decisive for the championship. We came into this final round in a perfect tie with Viktor [Vranckx] in the overall championship standings. So it was a very special moment to win the last race of the season and the championship on such a legendary track as Höljes.
While Viktor Vranckx clearly dominated the first three races of the 2023 season in terms of points, with an average of 19.3 points to Maiko Tamm’s 14.6, the Estonian driver managed to reverse the dynamic by winning each of his duels with the Belgian in the remaining five races.
“Admittedly, I’ve had my ups and downs during this 2023 season, but the most important thing for me was to learn from my mistakes and not repeat them. However, I know that I’m still a long way from reaching my full potential. The next step for me is to be more consistent. It’s often a question of confidence, but it’s also a question of mileage. The more time I get behind the wheel of a Supercar, the quicker things tend to get easier”.
As for the continuation of his rallycross adventures, they could once again involve the RallyX championship in 2024.
“I like the sporting format of RallyX. For me, as a beginner at this level of racing, being able to compete against the best rallycross drivers in the world – Kristoffersson, Veiby, the Eriksson brothers, Belevskiy and Hedström – has clearly helped me progress,” says Maiko.
“For 2024 I’m not closing the door on any options. As always, the budget will have the last word. We’re only a small team, but my first idea would be to return to RallyX to defend my Pro-Am title, while trying to reach more finals in the Pro category to measure myself against the best rallycross drivers in the world. Besides, I think the atmosphere in RallyX is excellent and that’s why I love this championship so much. Nevertheless, I’ll have a big challenge ahead of me in 2024, as I started my university studies last fall. From now on, I’ll have to learn how to combine motorsport and my studies.”
