Kalle Rovanpera takes historic home win in Toyota 1-2-3-4-5
Kalle Rovanpera claimed a maiden Rally Finland World Rally Championship victory after producing a dominant performance to head a Toyota top-five lockout. Two-time world champions Rovanpera and co-driver Jonne Halttunen claimed 10 stage wins to defeat Toyota team-mate Takamoto Katsuta by 39.2s in the fastest rally in WRC history, as the pair took the win […]
Kalle Rovanpera relieved to finally achieve “amazing” home WRC win
Kalle Rovanpera says finally achieving a Rally Finland victory is both an amazing feeling and a relief after ending an eight-year wait for a Finnish winner at the World Rally Championship event. Two-time world champions Rovanpera and co-driver Jonne Halttunen bounced back after struggling in recent gravel events to claim a perfect 35-point victory […]
Toyota locks out top five after Hyundai punctures
Toyota is on course for a Rally Finland top-five lockout after Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux witnessed their World Rally Championship victory hopes vanish following punctures. Kalle Rovanpera benefited from the drama that hit his nearest rivals Neuville and Fourmaux, who were sitting second and third respectively in the rally, to open up a […]
WRC champion claims “all hopes are lost” after flat tire
Thierry Neuville says any hope of defending his World Rally Championship title are “lost” after a puncture derailed his shot of a podium in Rally Finland. The reigning world champion felt a strong result on Finland’s fast gravel roads would be crucial in closing the gap to his title rivals, now sitting 48 points behind […]
Kalle Rovanpera survives puncture to double lead
Kalle Rovanpera extended his Rally Finland lead on Saturday morning despite suffering a puncture, as changeable weather continued to create drama at the World Rally Championship event. The Toyota driver picked up from where he left off on Friday, winning three of the four gravel stages to increase his 4.9s overnight advantage over Hyundai’s Thierry […]
Kalle Rovanpera shines in tricky weather to lead WRC Finland
Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä emerged from an intense multi-crew fight with a slender Rally Finland lead after battling through tricky changeable conditions on Friday. There were question marks over the two-time World Rally Championship champion’s form having struggled on gravel this year, and despite not being overly comfortable with his “flat out” approach, it was enough […]
Rally leader Kalle Rovanpera on why he’s “uncomfortable” but fast
Kalle Rovanperä has explained the factors behind new speed that elevated the Toyota driver to the lead of a World Rally Championship gravel event for the first time in almost a year. The two-time world champion has been renowned for his impressive pace on loose surface rallies particularly when the conditions become slippery, having racked […]
Kalle Rovanpera on top of close fight
Kalle Rovanpera has rediscovered some form on gravel to lead Rally Finland in what proved to be an intense World Rally Championship fight for the lead on Friday morning. The two-time world champion has struggled on gravel this season but has found speed from his Toyota GR Yaris package to open up a 4.4s lead […]
Sebastien Ogier won’t rule out WRC title push
Sebastien Ogier says he would be interested in a World Rally Championship title bid and will consider doing more events if his impressive partial campaign continues. The eight-time world champion has enjoyed a stellar season to date having recorded three wins (Monte Carlo, Portugal, Sardinia) and two second place finishes (Canary Islands, Greece) from the […]