Toyota expects Rovanpera to re-find his WRC form in Estonia

Toyota deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen expects Kalle Rovanpera to re-find his World Rally Championship form on gravel at Rally Estonia this weekend.

 

Two-time world champion Rovanpera has so far struggled to adapt to the WRC’s new gravel tyres, supplied by Hankook, that has left the Finn unusually out of the victory fights in gravel rounds in Portugal, Sardinia and Greece.

However, this weekend’s visit to the smooth, fast gravel roads of Estonia are tipped to see Rovanpera return to form. The Finn has openly admitted that this rally is his favourite on the calendar. It is the event where he took his first WRC win in 2021 and has since gone on to win the 2022 and 2023 WRC editions.

After topping the times in Thursday’s shakedown, Rovanpera appears to be in ominous form as he goes in search for second win of the season that would ignite his title aspirations.

Four-time world rally champion Kankkunen believes the 24-year-old will be able to find the speed required to challenge for victory.

“He is going alright for sure and this rally he knows and has won it three times,” said Kankkunen.

“The confidence is there for sure. The tyre change affects his smooth driving style so much that is not 100% trusting the tyres because he normally drives very smoothly. This tyre needs a harder driving style let’s say but I think he will be ok. He will be back to his old level.”

Rovanpera isn’t getting too carried away with his pace in shakedown but believes the problems he has been facing with the tyres wont be as big a problem in Estonia.

“You never really know before the proper stages but obviously in the test and in there shakedown the feeling let’s say is much better than it has been this year,” said Rovanpera, who is 33 points behind Toyota team-mate and championship leader Elfyn Evans.

“There are similar things with the tyres that need work but I can compensate more when I’m comfortable in the car. I think here my natural way works a bit better already, so it is not such a big struggle.

“There is always a chance of the win. It depends how we go tomorrow as that is very different to shakedown. On Friday we will see where we are and here we know to push and how to be fast. We try to do everything we can.”

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