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Kalle Rovanperä expressed his strong sense of comfort while driving in the World Rally Championship, having recently achieved an impressive streak of 12 consecutive stage wins at the Rally Islas Canarias.
The two-time world champion has showcased exceptional skill on the smooth asphalt roads of the Canary Islands, establishing a significant lead of 45.2 seconds over his Toyota teammate, Sébastien Ogier. Championship leader Elfyn Evans finished in third place, trailing by 1 minute and 8.1 seconds at the conclusion of Saturday’s stages.
Rovanperä set the fastest time on 12 of the 13 stages so far. The only exception was the final 1.80km super special stage on Saturday, which uniquely featured a section on the Gran Canaria basketball court.
This remarkable performance over the weekend closely mirrored his record from Estonia in 2023, where he also captured 13 consecutive stage wins, remaining unbeaten throughout the Saturday and Sunday legs.
His rapid pace has been particularly noteworthy given his earlier struggles to adapt to the new Hankook tires in the season’s first three rounds. However, during this event, Rovanperä noted that he discovered some useful “ideas” to optimize his performance with the new tires.
Performance on Canary Islands Roads
Kalle Rovanperä, Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
Rovanperä has achieved his impressive results without pushing himself to the limits, indicating that he is not taking excessive risks to clock such fast times.
When asked about the quality of his driving, he shared with Autosport.com, “I think it is pretty close. While the morning stages had their challenges, by the afternoon, I was really pleased with how I drove. I’m extremely satisfied.
“There’s no need for me to push irrationally. I can decide when to ramp up my pace; that makes it very enjoyable. I need to stay alert throughout this type of rally, but I can manage risks effectively without feeling the urge to go all out everywhere.
“It’s been a long time since we have had such pace, allowing us to choose when to apply it.”
Eight-time champion Ogier, known for his prowess on asphalt, described Rovanperä’s performance as “pretty impressive” and acknowledged that finishing second to such a talented teammate is no cause for embarrassment.
Rovanperä prepares for five stages on Sunday, aiming for a notable first victory of the 2025 season.
His Toyota team initially appeared poised to dominate, potentially securing the top five spots, until Sami Pajari encountered trouble on stage 12, resulting in his retirement from fourth position.
Pajari reflected on his misjudgment, stating, “I guess I was a bit too fast into this one long corner, which I knew would tighten. However, it seemed to tighten more than I anticipated, and I can’t explain it well since I had no issues with that corner earlier.”
With Pajari’s exit, Takamoto Katsuta capitalized, taking fourth place in his Toyota GR Yaris, ahead of a struggling Hyundai trio comprising Adrien Fourmaux, Thierry Neuville, and Ott Tanak.
The top ten was rounded out by leading WRC2 contender Yohan Rossel, local favorite Alejandro Cachon, and M-Sport-Ford’s Josh McErlean.
Source
www.autosport.com