The Finns collapsed in a rare way, Elfyn Evans had a perfect weekend – this is how the dramatic World Rally Championship in Jyväskylä culminated

British driver for Toyota Elfyn Evans celebrated a convincing victory in the World Rally Championship in Jyväskylä. Belgian Thierry Neuville drove second and the Japanese Takamoto Katsuta took third place. Evans took the top spot on Friday after several top drivers stopped and the 34-year-old driver never gave up his top spot.

Evans grabbed a full points pot from Jyväskylä, when he also raced to win the Power Stage with a difference of 0.9 seconds to Neuville. Britti thus convincingly took his second win of the season, 39.1 seconds ahead of Neuville.

– Great weekend, it has been a great pleasure to drive this car. Of course I’m sorry Kalle Rovanperän for, but from the point of view of the championship, it is not a bad thing that we narrowed the gap to Rovanperä, the British driver Evans referred to Rovanperä’s suspension.

In a rare way, the Finnish drivers were left out of the prize positions. Driven by Hyundai Teemu Suninen ranked fourth as the best Finn.

The previous equally lean Finnish years have been 2003, 2013 and 2021. Six years have already passed since the last Finnish victory in Jyväskylä. Suspended on Friday Esapekka Lappi finished first in 2017, but since then there has been no Finnish party in Jyväskylä.

Suninen was still fighting for third place on the morning of the final day, but Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta shook the Finn off his ride. Still on the Power Stage, Suninen put everything into play and beat Katsuta by a couple of seconds, but the Japanese kept his third place with a difference of 4.3 seconds.

– I’m a little disappointed that our speed wasn’t quite enough. But in terms of results, a good competition. Part of the time loss was part of the experience, said Suninen, who drove his second race in a Rally1 car at the finish line.

Toyota’s Rovanperä, who stopped the outing in Jyväskylä, continues in the World Cup lead, but Evans moved up to 25 points with his victory (Rovanperä 170, Evans 145).

Suninen was disappointed

Suninen stated at Himos after the Power Stage that the overriding feeling is disappointment.

– It would have been good to fight for the podium, but during the race some easy seconds were thrown away, Suninen said.

Suninen went to the final day of Jyväskylä with a hard attack and without a spare tire. The near-miss situation was seen at the first special test in Himos, where Suninen pulled wide on the downhill slope of the skiing center and also hit advertising banners.

– Himos made mistakes and there was a little too much effort. We were at the limit two or three times, but it wasn’t enough this time.

The ranking is Suninen’s second in a row in the top five. Suninen, who returned to the games in the Estonian World Rally Championship, finished fifth.

– In general, the fourth and fifth places in this competition are good results, but of course expectations always grow if there is a chance for a good pace.

Crazy drama right away on Friday

Kalle Rovanperä, Esapekka Lappi and Ott Tänak had to stop already on Friday. Rally spectators were disappointed when none of them returned to the race again on Saturday.

Rovanperä’s day ended when he crashed his car in the Myhinpää special test early in the evening. Before his exit, Rovanperä had driven five consecutive bottom times. The Finn was well on his way to the best Finnish World Cup Rally of his career. The reigning world champion assured that at no point did he have to overdo it, but the driving was effortless and sure.

– When it didn’t even come to a too hard corner, Rovanperä regretted his exit on Friday.

The 22-year-old driver could not find a clear reason for driving out. Rovanperä emphasized that everything felt good from the moment of braking in the fatal corner.

– In the right line and at a good speed to the bend. When there was no line as the first car, something crap was left on the line of the rear wheels. Small cars drove into the inner corner. We went to full slad and couldn’t fix it. We fell into a ditch and took off, Rovanperä explained.

Lappi was in the top fight until he crashed violently into a tree at the Halttula special test. The fifth special stage was very slippery due to the wet weather, and a high-speed right-hand corner ended the Lapland rally.

The driver from Pieksänmäki regretted during the morning that he couldn’t match Rovanperä’s pace, even though he tried his best. Hyundai team manager Cyril Abiteboul I suspected that the home match might have inspired Lapland too much.

– We knew that Esapekka wanted to succeed here. Actually, maybe he wanted too much, Abiteboul stated to Urheilu on Friday.

Last year’s winner in Jyväskylä, Tänak’s race ended already on Friday morning, when the Estonian M-Sport Ford froze at the Lankamaa special test. A rock on the road hit the bottom of Tänak’s car and broke it. As a result, the engine broke down.

Even today’s season has been difficult. Including Jyväskylä, the 2019 world champion has achieved a total of 23 MM points from the last four rallies.

The colorful return of Jari-Matti Latvala

Jari-Matti Latvala returned after a long break to the World Rally Championship and the WRC class. The three-time Jyväskylä rally winner raced the current Rally1 car for the first time and finished fifth. Latvala, who works as Toyota’s team manager, drove in the World Rally Championship after a break of three and a half years.

Latvala became the color of the whole rally with his relaxed and witty comments. Returning to Jyväskylä fulfilled Latvala’s long-lived dream. His map reader brought his own spice to Latvala’s rally Juho Hänninen. The former racing drivers formed a formidable team, which was described in the international broadcast as a duo similar to a married couple.

At the last special test, the Powert Stage in Himoks, Latvala still beat Rally1 driver Pierre-Louis Loubet by 0.5 seconds.

– Unbelievable, great that I got this opportunity. I drove this section perfectly and made no mistakes. It would be great if I could get even one point from this Power Stage, Latvala rejoiced.

And Latvala got a point, because the top five in the Power Stage were Evans, Neuville, Suninen, Katsuta and Latvala.

– Thanks to Juho. A perfect weekend, Latvala continued at the same time as the entire Toyota team applauded Latvala in the service park.

In an interview with , Latvala said after the race that it almost feels like a victory.

– Great weekend, it’s been really great to drive. Everything went exactly as we had planned. We only focused on our own performance and did not take any bigger risks.

Latvala finished as high as fifth in the overall competition and grabbed an additional point from the Power Stage, when he was the fifth fastest driver in Himos-Jämsä.

Latvala recalled that he achieved a result similar to Jyväskylä in 2019 in Catalonia, but at that time the atmosphere was completely different than now. Latvala believed that his return behind the wheel will be beneficial when he returns to his job as Toyota team manager.

– I have gained a lot of good learning and understanding. It doesn’t hurt that the team manager sometimes drives a little himself. It’s better to keep fresh in your memory what rally really is.

Pajari celebrated in the WRC2 class

Sami Pajari as a map reader Enni Mälkönen drove his Skoda Fabia to victory in the WRC2 class.

– Great atmosphere! I am really satisfied and I want to thank everyone who has supported us. Another victory in the home competition. It’s really good to continue towards the next competitions, Pajari says.

Another Skoda driver Oliver Solberg was the fastest Rally2 driver in Jyväskylä by half a minute, but Solberg did not drive in Jyväskylä for WRC2 World Championship points.