“Don’t want to appreciate the same way”

Toyota Kalle Rovanperän performance on Power Stage and incredible rise to victory in Croatia impressed rally expert Henri Haapamäki.

– Quite a performance when it was said that he was leaving with a so-called wrong ring. Under intense pressure, Kalle is definitely to be appreciated, Haapamäki says.

Before the final special exam Ott Tänak led the race by 1.4 seconds. Rovanperä had dominated the competition, but due to the Finn, the last one in the previous special stage was the wrong choice of tire in the difficult conditions in Croatia.

However, Rovanperä was able to grab the special stage win from Power Stage, who finished the race, and beat the 2017 world champion. The profit margin was 4.3 seconds. This could not be expected, but in preliminary speculation Tänakila had to be an advantage. Today’s jacket had two soft and two rainwater tires. Rovanpera had two hard and two rain tires.

– The last special exam was semi-dry, but there were muddy and wet places there. Soft tires had to be better and hold better. It shouldn’t have been possible for Kov to drive for the top result, but fortunately it went the other way around, Haapamäki explains.

Even if Rovanpera, who is leading the World Championship series, would have been well placed in second place for Croatia in terms of the World Cup points battle, the Finn was thirsty for victory and did his best. Haapamäki believes that Rovanperä left a mark on others.

– Kalle believed he could drop the floor time when he puts his foot on the floor. Self-confidence is at an extremely high level, and others will surely remember that in the next rallies.

– There are no World Cup points left to hang, and the championship is lost by one point. The other half of the couplet there was that Kalle could have lost the whole pot as he drove around as he drove the last clip. Masters and hard performers are remembered, and those who give up do not really want to become masters.

Rovanperä now leads the World Championships after three races, even by a margin of 29 points over Hyundai Thierry Neuvilleen.

The Finn has won two of the first three races of the season.

According to Haapamäki, Rovanperä’s hard mood is based on the fact that now in the third season there will be enough experience to win the competition. Rovanperä also became the 13th driver in the history of the World Rally Championship in Croatia, winning the race on snow, gravel and asphalt. All these first places have come to Finns within a year.

– Self-confidence and competence have always been at a good level, but now we also have the necessary experience. He’s gotten well into the new hybrid era Rally1 car, he handles the car well and everything works.

Haapamäki also points out Jonne Halttusen meaning alongside Rovanperä. Map readers are the rally driver’s closest co-workers. However, they are often overshadowed by drivers, but Halttunen has equally grown into a top performer.

– He’s a very talented co-driver. Serving a note is a game of exact marks, and he serves it in the right proportions, rhythmizing at full speed. It’s as demanding a job as driving, even if you don’t want to appreciate it in the same way, Haapamäki says.

In the rally world, the best map reader in the world may not win the world championship if the driver is not the best in the world. The driver, on the other hand, can win the championship even if the map reader is not the best in the world.

In the situation of Rovanperä and Halttunen, however, the latter must be at the level of Rovanperä.

Both Halttunen and Rovanperä have learned from their mistakes and it has also enabled the results we have now seen.

The crankcase removed the radiator shield in an area where it should not have been done. The podium battle in the competition crashed into a time penalty for the error.

– They have a great growth story together. In the past, the booklet has been thrown in the corner and new baskets have been made for the cars, but it has gone hand in hand and it would seem that a pretty good pair, Haapamäki praises.

The World Rally Championship will continue in Portugal on May 19-22.