Kalle Rovanperä: “I’m not thinking about the title yet”

What was the plan at the start of this stage?

We had decided to attack. It was the only solution to stay in the fight. I felt confident with the car and I like these conditions, so I tried to drive fast. There was at times a lot of water on the road and a lot of surprises, but my driving was efficient and precise. That didn't stop me from keeping a small margin, but it was still easy to make a mistake. We didn't do any and there is reason to be satisfied this evening.

This is not the first time this season that you have taken the advantage when the conditions are bad. How do you explain it?

I don't know. It’s true that this has often smiled on us this year. I like it when it becomes very selective. Today, when I saw all this rain, I saw it as an opportunity and we tried to take advantage of it. Maybe my driving adapts better to this kind of terrain, but that also comes from the Yaris being a lot of fun to drive on these tricky roads.

After widening the gap this morning, you continued to ride hard during the second loop. Why ?

I find this is the best way to stay focused. When you start wanting to manage, that's when mistakes can happen.

At the end of this rally, there is victory, but there can also be your consecration. Are you starting to think about it?

We first have to see how it will play out with the Power Stage points. So it's not completely clear. I'm not thinking about the title yet. The stage will be very different from today. It's more brittle, less natural so you have to wait for what it will give.

Do you realize that you may become the youngest world champion in WRC ? Do you feel a certain impatience growing?

For me, it doesn't really matter whether I'm the youngest or not. What matters is having the title for me and for the team. I don't get any more excited than that. I try to stay focused on Sunday by telling myself that it's a normal day. Right now, I don't need to stress, but tomorrow, when the end is near, we'll see how I'll react.