“Slightly unexpected victory” in Portugal propels Rovanperä to the top

He is only 21 years old but already has the maturity of a champion. At the start on Thursday evening, Kalle Rovanperä was not the favorite in this Rally from Portugal. As championship leader, the Finn had the difficult task of sweeping the road from first. However, on Sunday afternoon, it was the score of 30 points that was added to his account. A total victory with the added bonus of 5 points from the Power Stage: Rovanperä is more than ever the best driver in the WRC currently.

After a flawless rally, the driver Toyota is himself the first surprised by this success. “This win was definitely a little unexpected. Starting first on the road, I didn't think we could fight for victory like that." admits the winner of the rally. “But we managed to stay close to the drivers in front. We had good pace throughout and we had a faultless rally. (…) A big thank you to the team, because we saw a lot of problems for the others this weekend in really difficult conditions, but our car was perfect as always (…)”

A result that delights Jari-Matti Latvala. The racing management of the young Finnish talent impressed the team director. “Kalle won against all odds. It's amazing how quickly he's matured and how he's able to handle pressure when he's in the lead. » Thanks to this third consecutive victory in Portugal, Kalle Rovanperä increases its lead in the championship. With 106 points, he is well in the lead, 46 points ahead of his runner-up Thierry Neuville.

First double for Toyota, Evans finally on the podium

Jari-Matti Latvala can also rejoice in a successful weekend for Toyota, with 2nd place for Elfyn Evans and 4th place for Takamoto Katsuta. “It’s a fantastic result for this first gravel rally with the Rally1. (…) Elfyn had a very good rally, it was another clean race from him. He was very close to victory but these are really important points for him in the championship. Takamoto also had a really brilliant rally. He missed the podium by a few seconds but that doesn't take away from his excellent driving this weekend. »

World vice-champion Elfyn Evans reached the podium for the first time this season. Ninth in the championship before this Rally of Portugal, the Welshman scored good points allowing him to move back into the top 5. Beaten in the final stages by 15 seconds against Rovanperä, Evans showed himself to be a good player. “Hats off to Kalle for the win, he did a great job. We had a good start to the rally but it was very fast towards the end of the weekend. »

Comfortable during the first two days, the No. 33 driver experienced a more difficult end to the rally with his Yaris. “I wasn't as happy with the feeling on Sunday. I haven't been able to give in as I would like. So there are still areas we need to work on with the car, but the performance in general was very good for the first gravel event. Although I'm disappointed with today's result, it's good to be back on the podium. »

Ogier's abandonment, the only black spot at Toyota

The only dark side this weekend: the abandonment of Sébastien Ogier, with punctures galore on Friday et an exit from the track on Saturday. The eight-time world champion did not have the comeback he hoped for but still points out the positive points of this weekend. “For me it was a difficult weekend after the bad luck we had on Friday, when we were getting closer to the lead battle. But the positive thing about this weekend is the experience I gained with the car, discovering it and learning it on dirt. The kilometers we covered were very valuable and I definitely finished the rally with a better feeling than I started it with. »

Enchanted by the performance of his car, Sébastien Ogier is already looking forward to getting back on board the Yaris Rally1. “We can see from the result that it is a strong car on gravel and I am looking forward to my next event with the team. » Before returning to gravel, Ogier will pass through the 24 Hours of Le Mans, on June 11 and 12, in LM P2.

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