Rovanperä wants to 'stay calm' despite playing fly-half in Portugal

The first events on gravel are often feared by those best placed in the championship. Both by their difficulty and by the pressure to open the road. This issue, Toyota often confronted him in recent years, with Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans. But this season, it is the young Kalle Rovanperä who will have to sweep for his competitors, during the Rally from Portugal. The Finn, well established at the top of the championship with 29 points ahead of Thierry Neuville, will open a gravel rally for the first time in his career. An unprecedented situation which does not seem to disturb the miracle of WRC. 

“Cleaning the roads will probably be the biggest challenge, especially since it’s something quite new for us” admits the 21-year-old driver. “Friday could be a lot more important than other rallies and we will try to be on a good pace straight away. The main thing in these next rallies will just be to try to stay calm and concentrate to do a good job. »

Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala knows his protégé will show maturity despite the circumstances. “This difficult task will be a new experience for Kalle on Friday, but we know he will be able to keep his cool even if he loses time. »

Already a two-time winner this season in just three rounds, Kalle Rovanperä remains optimistic despite his sweeper position. “The feeling with the new car on gravel has been pretty good overall, especially during our testing last week, with some improvements made. » Unlucky during the Rally of Portugal last year, with a retirement during the 14th special due to a mechanical problem, the Finn still confides his affection for the Lusitanian rally. “Portugal is a rally I usually like; the stages are beautiful, technical and there is a great atmosphere. »

Toyota, between caution and expectations

A first for Rovanperä but also a first for Toyota, which will christen its Yaris Rally1 on gravel this weekend. The Japanese car has already shown itself to perform well on asphalt and on snow and the team wants to confirm on gravel. “Portugal will be the first of three tough gravel rallies in just over five weeks and it will be very interesting to see the level of the different cars. » explains Jari-Matti Latvala. “With so much of the season being driven on gravel, it is very important to be competitive on this surface. Providing our drivers with a reliable car will also have to be a big priority at these upcoming events. »

If Kalle Rovanperä will have the task of limiting the damage, in the other Toyota boxes, the expectations are completely different. On the one hand, Elfyn Evans, dropped in the championship with 59 points behind Rovanperä, must react after a complicated start to the season. He will start in 9th position, an almost ideal place in Portugal. “If it's dry our position on the road should be favorable, but it's not an automatic ticket to a good result. There's still a lot to focus on to get the most out of it, especially as everyone tries to get comfortable in these cars. » 

On the other hand, the returning Sébastien Ogier, still 8th in the championship with his 2nd place in Monte-Carlo, wants above all to play for the team. “I am of course happy to see that the team has continued to win in the last two rallies, and I am here not only to enjoy it and get good results for myself, but also to help win another title constructor. »

Five-time winner in Portugal, the reigning world champion hopes to be immediately in the game after four months off. “The biggest challenge will be to get back into rhythm straight away after just one day of testing on gravel last week. But at the same time, these cars are new to everyone on gravel, so let's see what we can do. » 

For Jari-Matti Latvala, all chances are on the side of the Japanese team to seek the first places. “We will have good starting positions with Elfyn and Seb and they should both have a strong possibility of fighting for victory. » Toyota will also present a fourth car this weekend in Portugal, for the Japanese Takamoto Katsuta, currently 6th in the championship.
 

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