Elfyn Evans, who lost the world championship to Kalle Rovanpera, has tried to imitate the driving style of the Finnish star. Jari-Matti Latvala says that Rovanperä has calmed down in its second championship year.
Joel Sippola,
Jussi Jäkälä
Team mate Elfyn Evans offered his second world championship this season to the winner Kalle Rovanperä the tightest resistance. However, Toyota’s British driver’s small championship streak crumbled on Saturday in the outing.
On the final day, Evans got some consolation for his disappointment by grabbing a full five points from the Power Stage. After the race, the driver gave recognition to Rovanperän and the kart Jonne Halttunen for the achievement.
– We didn’t have much else to do today than to drive for the victory in the Power Stage. I want to congratulate Kalle and Jonne and of course the whole team. They were really good this year, Evans told Urheilu.
Rovanperä and Evans have an interesting background in that their father Harri Rovanperä and Gwyndaf Evans used to drive as team mates at Seat.
– The boys’ knees have improved a little. Harder results have at least been achieved, says Kalle Rovanperä.
According to Evans, Harri and Gwyndaf’s time as stablemates has not been discussed much.
– I think they keep those things hidden from us. Maybe a lot of bad things happened in those days. It’s funny that they were teammates then and we’re with Kalle now, Evans said.
Evans says that the chemistry with the current team mates matches well.
– We are doing fine. It’s been like that since the beginning when we joined the Toyota team. The philosophy at the team has always been that everything is open. We share all information between us. That’s how we build a strong team.
Brittikuski admits that he has tried to learn from Rovanperä’s driving style. However, it is not easy.
– I have also been for a long time Sebastien Ogier’s team mate of such a driver. Adapting to someone else’s style is not easy, however.
“Christmas cake-like”
According to Rovanperä, the latter championship required more work than the first. Team manager Jari-Matti Latvala saw that the championship was nevertheless well anticipated.
He wished that the competition would have been more even in the Central European rally between Rovanperä and Evans.
– Of course, the first championship was more exciting. The situation was triggered on Saturday when Elfyn drove out. After that, Kalle took a different attitude. Now we just had to get to the finish line, Latvala says.
After the championship, Latvala didn’t see such raucous airings as sometimes before. According to Latvala, there is a good reason for that.
– I’ve learned the hard way that I don’t vent at all until confirmation has been received. I myself have driven the Power Stage to the yard a kilometer before the finish line, Latvala recalls.
Latvala has noticed a clear difference in Rovanperä compared to last season. Then he chased even more victories in races and Power Stages.
– Kalle has managed to take fourth and fifth place. He has thought about the whole more through reason. He has been driving like a Christmas cake. Let’s take the points that are enough for the championship, Latvala describes.
Contract news soon
In the case of Rovanperä, attention will next be focused on when we will hear about his extension contract.
– The situation looks really good for Kalle. Kalle is a Toyota man. Let’s just say that the deal is 95 percent ready. You have to make a couple of small filings for it. It should be ready by the time of the Japanese rally, says Latvala.
Are we still negotiating about the financial aspect of the contract or drifting, which is Rovanperä’s favorite hobby?
– Probably the drifting time, Latvala says.
Latvala says that they want to complete the contracts of all the drivers before going public with anything.
– There are a few contracts where the situations are open, Latvala says.