Kalle Rovanpera, the Finnish driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing, has acknowledged the need for victories in the remaining rounds of the World Rally Championship (WRC) season to maintain any hope of securing a third world title. After the recent Rally Chile, Rovanpera finds himself in a challenging position, trailing the championship leader, Sébastien Ogier, by a significant 21 points.
During the Rally Chile event, Rovanpera entered the competition in a strong second place, just seven points behind Ogier. However, his performance was marred by an error that saw him lose valuable time. A miscalculation resulted in Rovanpera hitting a bank, which caused a rear-left tyre to come off the rim, costing him over a minute on the course. Despite this setback, he managed to recover and finish in sixth place, earning a total of 12 points.
Rovanpera’s struggles were compounded by difficult road conditions and a lack of confidence in the Hankook tyres. “At this point of the season, two stage wins are not what we need, we need some results,” he stated. His assessment of the situation indicated that road position and varying conditions significantly impacted his performance. “It is quite clear; it is most of the time like this [not working with the tyre]. When you start to push, and if you are a bit early on the road, it is not going as it should,” he added.
Looking ahead to the upcoming asphalt rallies in Central Europe and Japan, followed by a gravel season finale in Saudi Arabia, Rovanpera expressed concern about the increasing difficulty of the title race. He emphasized the urgency of achieving strong results before these events. “We needed some good results here, especially before the tarmac rallies, but we didn’t get them,” he remarked.
Ogier, who recently claimed his fifth win of the season at Rally Chile, has demonstrated consistent performance this year, further solidifying his position at the top of the standings. Rovanpera acknowledged Ogier’s effectiveness in the championship, stating, “He is doing a proper job this year, and he is leading the championship as he should; he has done good results.”
As the WRC prepares for its next asphalt events, Rovanpera remains hopeful. He previously showcased his prowess on the smooth tarmac roads in the Canary Islands, where he dominated the competition in April. However, he anticipates a different challenge in the upcoming rallies in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. “It will be a very different kind of rally. There is a lot of pollution and cuts and stuff; it will not be the same,” he concluded.
With the pressure mounting, Rovanpera knows that wins are essential if he is to reclaim his position as a title contender in the WRC.
