Kalle Rovanpera expressed that achieving a quick time on the renowned Ouninpohja stage of the World Rally Championship, just like his father Harri Rovanpera did, fueled his remarkable performance.
The two-time world champion showcased his prowess on Saturday at Rally Finland, clinching victory in five out of six stages and establishing a commanding 44.2s lead over his Toyota teammate Sebastien Ogier, with four stages left on Sunday.
Rovanpera’s exceptional push towards a potential first win at Rally Finland was bolstered by two stage victories on the iconic 32.98km Ouninpohja route, which rejoined the schedule for the first time since 2016.
Rovanpera was the quickest during the first pass, navigating through challenging damp conditions to beat Ogier by just 0.1s, then obliterating that mark on the second pass in dry conditions with an average speed of 136 km/h.
The 23-year-old completed the stage in 14m32.6s, a staggering 23.9s faster than the stage record previously set by Kris Meeke in 2016, noting that this year’s stage ran in the reverse direction and incorporated hybrid technology.
According to Rovanpera, the impressive times set by his father on Ouninpohja motivated him to push harder.
“Naturally, it feels great to win the Ouninpohja stage,” Rovanpera remarked to Autosport.
“I recall my father mentioning his remarkable times there, so I felt the need to match that and not let him be the only fast one in the family on Ouninpohja!”
Harri Rovanpera (FIN) finished 4th in his Peugeot 206
Photo by: Ralph Hardwick
“My engineer calculated that the conditions were different back when my father raced; there were no chicanes, and the stage was about two kilometers longer. If you adjust for that, cars from his era would have been 30 to 40 seconds slower than we are now,” Rovanpera explained.
“It’s quite interesting, the cars from that time were comparable to Rally2 speeds now. We’ve seen significant advancements in car technology since then.”
As Rovanpera reflected on his dominant outing, he acknowledged the importance of maintaining a lead, aware that even the slightest error could prove detrimental.
“My strategy today was to keep pushing while feeling good about my performance and to set some good times,” he noted.
“It’s essential to create some buffer, as anything can happen, whether it’s an unlucky puncture or other issues.”
“Having a little cushion allows for peace of mind, and we aim to finish strong tomorrow, as it could turn out to be a challenging day, especially with the unique stages in Finland.”
Rovanpera’s nearly flawless day was countered by his teammate and title contender, Elfyn Evans, who faced a driveshaft failure that plunged him from a close second to 12th place overall.
Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
The Welsh driver also faced a 2m40s penalty for being 16 minutes late leaving the midday service.
“Unfortunately, it was a driveshaft problem, and when it breaks, it can cause additional damage,” Evans stated to Autosport.
“The amount of damage exceeded our initial expectations, leading to a substantial repair job.”
“Honestly, I realized the gap was insurmountable for points, especially after getting caught in heavy rain.”
