Katsuta crash hands Lappi comfortable lead
Lappi ended the morning loop with a 1m24.3s lead over M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux, with Toyota’s Elfyn Evans [+1m40.5s] in third after Toyota driver Katsuta’s victory tilt came to an end on stage 10. Oliver Solberg continued to impress and sat an incredible fourth overall (+2m25.4s) in the WRC2 class lead, while Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville climbed […]
How a WRC driver turned a jacket into a makeshift window on Rally Sweden
Munster lost a rear side window from his Ford Puma Rally1 during stage six, which prompted some quick thinking to protect the car’s hybrid unit from the snow and prevent his windscreen from fogging up. M-Sport’s new recruit showcased his resourceful side by fashioning a team jacket into a makeshift window for the day’s remaining […]
Fuel pressure problem not tactics to blame for Rally Sweden delay
The Hyundai driver was four minutes late to the start of stage six after struggling to fire up his i20 N, incurring a 40-second penalty. It resulted in the Belgian dropping behind Toyota’s Elfyn Evans on the road order, effectively making the latter face the worst of the conditions on the snow covered roads. Evans […]
Lappi snatches lead from Katsuta to end “crazy” Friday
Lappi claimed three stage wins from the four afternoon tests that were plagued by snow flurries that made conditions incredibly challenging for crews. The performance helped Lappi overhaul Katsuta to open up a 3.2s rally lead after eight of 18 stages. Katsuta ended the day as the lead Toyota after overnight leader Kalle Rovanpera crashed […]
Rovanpera explains crash from WRC Rally Sweden lead
The reigning two-time world champion won Thursday night’s super special and stage two on Friday morning to open up a 5.7s lead over Toyota team-mate heading into stage four where drama struck. In an incident unseen by television cameras, Rovanpera ran wide as snow began to fall in the stage. The 23-year-old clouted a snowbank […]
Katsuta leads as Rovanpera, Tanak crash out
Starting the day sitting second, Katsuta leapt into an 11.4s rally lead over Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi after a drama-filled stage four, which resulted in Rovanpera and Ott Tanak retiring from the day’s action. Overnight leader and reigning world champion Rovanpera, making a return to the WRC in a part-time programme for Toyota, was the victim […]
Rovanpera sets the pace on championship return
The two-time world champion, making the first start of his part-time 2024 WRC campaign, lit up the timing screens on the first of 18 snow stages – Umea Sprint, 5.16km. Rovanpera, starting seventh on the road, posted a time 1.4s faster than Toyota team-mate Takamoto Katsuta. “It is always ok when the time is on […]
Hyundai confident Tanak’s WRC engine issue won’t return in Sweden
Anti-lag system issues affected all three Hyundais in Monte Carlo, with Tanak hit the worst by the problem that team principal Cyril Abiteboul admitted was exacerbated by the 2019 world champion’s driving style. Hyundai has since identified the issue but it is likely the problem will only be completely rectified through the homologation of new […]
«Relaxed» Rovanpera to enjoy Rally Sweden victory tilt without WRC title pressure
The reigning two-time world champion is expected to be the overwhelming favourite for victory on Sweden’s snow-covered roads. A previous event winner in 2022, Rovanpera also has the advantage of a favourable starting position after sitting out last month’s Monte Carlo season as part of his wish to contest a part-time programme this year. The […]