Rovanpera imitates dad and wins Sweden Rally | Racing news
UMEÅ (Sweden): Kalle Rovanpera imitated his father Harri when he won Rally Sweden on Sunday.
The Toyota driver finished 22 seconds ahead of the Belgian Thierry Neuville in a Hyundai. Another Finn in Toyota, Esapekka Lappi, finished third.
“I did not feel like celebrating much now,” said Rovanpera. “It has been a really difficult week for the people of Ukraine and I hope they can find strength and hope in these difficult times.”
For Kalle, who is 21, Sunday’s victory was his third in the championship.
His father, Harri, won his only world championship victory in the same competition in February 2001 when Kalle was four months old.
Rovanpera had led Toyota’s teammate Elfyn Evans, who won the latest Rally Sweden 2020, and entered the final day even though the Welshman was lucky enough to get to the starting line.
On Saturday’s last curve, Evans plowed through the snow, but drove back to the track by flying back over a snow bank and ending up in a parking lot.
Although he passed the photocell marking the finish line, the organizers judged that he had not followed the marked route and punished him for 10 seconds.
On Sunday, the snow bank resisted and Evans did so much damage to his front end that he had to pull out.
Rovanpera won the stage and went from there to victory.
“I’m really happy. I did not think we could be this good,” he said. “The car worked great all the time. I feel much more confident now.”
Hyundais, who had started the season struggling in Monte Carlo, took the last three of today’s four stages.
Neuville took the third stage of the day.
“After Monte Carlo we had a lot of work to do,” said the Belgian.
“We are here and we are showing that we are on the right track. I look forward to the upcoming events. There is a lot of work left, but we will do it.”
Ott Tanak, who started on Sunday more than 20 minutes later after a mechanical problem on Friday, won the second stage and the final power stage.
Rovanpera provisionally takes the lead in the world championship after two races with Neuville second.
The semi-retired French veterans Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier, who finished first and second in Monte Carlo, chose to skip Sweden.
The Toyota driver finished 22 seconds ahead of the Belgian Thierry Neuville in a Hyundai. Another Finn in Toyota, Esapekka Lappi, finished third.
“I did not feel like celebrating much now,” said Rovanpera. “It has been a really difficult week for the people of Ukraine and I hope they can find strength and hope in these difficult times.”
For Kalle, who is 21, Sunday’s victory was his third in the championship.
His father, Harri, won his only world championship victory in the same competition in February 2001 when Kalle was four months old.
Rovanpera had led Toyota’s teammate Elfyn Evans, who won the latest Rally Sweden 2020, and entered the final day even though the Welshman was lucky enough to get to the starting line.
On Saturday’s last curve, Evans plowed through the snow, but drove back to the track by flying back over a snow bank and ending up in a parking lot.
Although he passed the photocell marking the finish line, the organizers judged that he had not followed the marked route and punished him for 10 seconds.
On Sunday, the snow bank resisted and Evans did so much damage to his front end that he had to pull out.
Rovanpera won the stage and went from there to victory.
“I’m really happy. I did not think we could be this good,” he said. “The car worked great all the time. I feel much more confident now.”
Hyundais, who had started the season struggling in Monte Carlo, took the last three of today’s four stages.
Neuville took the third stage of the day.
“After Monte Carlo we had a lot of work to do,” said the Belgian.
“We are here and we are showing that we are on the right track. I look forward to the upcoming events. There is a lot of work left, but we will do it.”
Ott Tanak, who started on Sunday more than 20 minutes later after a mechanical problem on Friday, won the second stage and the final power stage.
Rovanpera provisionally takes the lead in the world championship after two races with Neuville second.
The semi-retired French veterans Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier, who finished first and second in Monte Carlo, chose to skip Sweden.