Rovanperä to give up or double in New Zealand

Kalle Rovanperä should cease the bleeding in New Zealand! Nonetheless chief of the championship, the Finn has certainly been engaged in a really dangerous collection for 3 rallies and has not even tasted the thrill of the rostrum since his dwelling spherical in early August.

The Toyota driver has solely scored 9 factors within the final two rounds, on the Ypres Rally and the Acropolis Rally, in comparison with 50 for his most critical opponent within the title race, Ott Tänak (Thierry Neuville can be nonetheless within the sport, however relegated to 76 items). Nevertheless, with a lead of 53 factors, Rovanperä nonetheless has the opportunity of successful the title once more this weekend, offered he manages to attain eight factors greater than the Estonian.

It will not be simple, particularly for the teenager, who will flip 22 on Saturday in an occasion he’ll participate in for the primary time: Rally New Zealand, which final happened in 2012, was initially scheduled to return to the calendar in 2020 however the Covid pandemic led to the cancellation of the final two editions.

Underneath these circumstances, it’s tough to hold out an applicable preparation and it’s above all of the D system that prevails. “I’ve heard nothing however good issues about New Zealand, about rallying and the way good the roads are there”Nevertheless, Rovanperä declares entry, which doesn’t quit being optimistic. “As a part of our preparation, we tried to search out movies to get a primary concept of ​​what the phases appear to be, and what we’re going to want on the automobile earlier than we go there.

Pressured to open the best way by his place as chief within the championship, the Finn appears to be as soon as once more doomed to do wonders in New Zealand if he doesn’t need to see Tänak once more take factors from him. He thus hopes to restrict the injury throughout the first stage earlier than letting go of the horses afterwards, and why not play for victory.

A objective that’s not only a fantasy, as a result of in any case it had managed to win on gravel rallies whereas opening the best way on the primary day of the Rally of Portugal and the Safari Rally . “The final rallies have not gone very properly for us, however we all know what we have to enhance, and we’re working laborious to have extra tempo and be extra comfy”he continues. “We should open the street once more however hopefully we will get some good pace, benefit from the race and end with a very good end result.”

Rovanperä has amassed pilot errors within the final rounds, accusing his first retirement of the season in Belgium earlier than hitting a tree in Greece.

Roads easier than on the Acropolis

If the very tough course of the final spherical in Greece precipitated many issues for Toyota (the Japanese producer conceded its worst accounting document of the 12 months there with solely 23 factors scored), the way more rolling profile of the New Zealand roads ought to nevertheless be extra appropriate for the GR Yaris.

In any case, that is the opinion of the boss of the crew, Jari-Matti Latvala, winner within the land of the lengthy white cloud in 2010 after a tremendous duel in opposition to Sébastien Ogier, who will even be a part of it. this weekend for the advantage of the Japanese model. “Greece was after all a disappointing spherical for us, and there are classes that we needed to be taught to be stronger in these kinds of rallies sooner or later”explains the Finn. “Rally New Zealand nevertheless is a really completely different rally [de celui de l’Acropole]. The floor is extra linear, the roads are quick and flowing, and the a number of slopes make you’re feeling such as you’re in a ballet with the automobile. These are actually unimaginable roads, which you do not discover wherever else within the WRC.”

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