How Rovanpera's latest Estonia masterclass left his WRC rivals stumped
After trailing Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans for much of Rally Estonia's opening day, WRC points leader Kalle Rovanpera took advantage of a change in the weather and never looked back afterwards. Winning for a fifth time this year at the scene of his 2021 breakthrough, and with a breathtaking powerstage bonus for good measure, his advantage is already looking difficult to topple
If the World Rally Championship had its own dictionary, then Kalle Rovanpera’s crushing victory last weekend at Rally Estonia would be epitomised as the definition of ‘masterclass’. The new flying Finn is enjoying an extraordinary run of form, defying belief by the relative ease displayed in overcoming the toughest challenges the WRC can muster.
Estonia’s turbulent weather did its level best to make life as difficult as possible, but a glimpse inside the Rovanpera Toyota cockpit and the timing screen would have you believe that this was an everyday drive. Last weekend’s fifth win from seven events this year even left his Toyota boss Jari-Matti Latvala lost for words to explain how this 21-year-old, who he’s already described as a “miracle kid”, is able to drive at a level his contemporaries appear unable to reach.
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