Twenty-year-old Finnish driver Kalle Rovanperä has increased his lead at the top of the standings in the second stage of the Estonian Rally and can celebrate his premiere World Championship victory on Sunday. The driver of the Toyota factory team has a lead of more than 50 seconds before the four final special stages over Irishman Craig Breen of Hyundai, who was only 8.5 seconds ahead of him after Friday’s program.
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Frenchman Sébastien Ogier in action (illustration photo)
Thomas Mukoya, Reuters
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Another Hyundaie driver, Belgian Thierry Neuville, and French World Championship leader Sébastien Ogier with a Toyota are aiming for third place. Both lose about a minute and a half to Rovanperä, Neuville is 18 seconds faster. “I’m not fighting for third place with Thierry, but for the championship lead with Elfyn (Evans). And he’s behind me,” said seven-time world champion Ogier.
Six of today’s nine special stages were won by home pilot Ott Tänak, in two others he finished second. However, the previous year’s world champion lost the chance for his fourth triumph in the Estonian Rally in a row on Friday, when he suffered three defects and had to resign. Due to penalties, he continues to compete with an abysmal loss for the best.
Rovanperä secured first place in today’s opening erzeta, in which he ran for Breen for 14 seconds. Afterwards, his lead rose to more than three-quarters of a minute. He has so far made it to the podium twice at the World Championships, last year he was third in Sweden and this year second in the Arctic Rally.
“It was a really great day, our lead over yesterday has increased enormously. I was preparing for the first test a lot, I knew it could make a big difference. It paid off and tomorrow our efforts could be a little easier,” said Rovanperä on the championship website.
| Estonian rally, the event of the World Car Championship – after the 2nd stage: |
| 1. Rovanperä, Halttunen (Fin./Toyota Yaris) 2: 17: 46,8 |
| 2. Breen, Nagle (Ir./Hyundai i20) -50,7 |
| 3. Neuville, Wydaeghe (Belg./Hyundai i20) -1: 20.9 |
| 4. Ogier, Ingrassia (Fr./Toyota Yaris) -1: 38.8 |
| 5. Evans, Scott (Brit./Toyota Yaris) -2:02,2 |
| 6. Suninen, Markkula (Fin./Ford Fiesta) -6: 14.3. |
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