This is how Kalle Rovanperä’s deafening rally season progressed – see the highlights

Kalle Rovanperä drove to the second consecutive World Rally Championship at the age of 23. Rovanperä secured the world championship in the penultimate race of the season after a solid performance.

Confidence and speed characterized the Finnish champion throughout his season. Rovanperä’s successful season is especially remembered for these reversals.

Challenging early season

Rovanperä showed in the opening race of the season in Monte Carlo that the reigning champion does not have any kind of championship hangover. In the traditional asphalt rally, the Finn managed to finish second, a legend of the sport Sebastien Ogier’s after.

The young Finnish star’s early season was made challenging by the role of plow car. After Monte Carlo, he missed the podium three times in a row.

In the fourth race of the season in Croatia, Rovanperä suffered a flat tire on the second special stage. To a large extent, the Toyota driver’s dreams of success in that race came to naught. In the end, he was fourth in the race.

– Difficult weekend. On my part, I have to prepare better for these games. You can’t waste time on having to adjust the car on Friday, Rovanperä repeated his rally at the Croatian finish.

Rovanperä’s abilities are shown by the fact that he was able to produce consistent performances from the beginning of the season and grab significant points in the final special stages of the rallies, despite his starting position.

After the first four races, Rovanperä was only one point behind his teammates Ogier and of Elfyn Evans.

In Portugal, the page turned

After Croatia, Rovanperä’s season took a new direction.

Rovanperä gassed up for his first win of the year in Portugal in May. The Finn was completely superior and won by almost a minute. To crown it all, the specialist in finals took a full five-point pot from the Power Stage.

At the same time, the Finn took the lead in the World Series for the first time this season. The victory was a mental relief for Rovanpera. The young rally star was exceptionally open in the interview after the race. He thanked his mother Tiina in honor of Mother’s Day.

In his victory speech, Rovanperä also highlighted his friends Artun.

– I’ve had a bit of a hard time since the turn of the year. He has supported me a lot and encouraged me to compete and achieve good results, Rovanperä thanked his friend at the finish line.

In the summer, the difference with the others was torn

Around the middle of the season, the championship began to be well within the Finn’s grasp. Rovanperä, who had four podium finishes in a row, took his second victory of the season in the Estonian World Rally Championship, which has been one of the Finnish youngster’s favorites.

He won in Estonia for the third time in a row. The margin of victory was more than 50 seconds.

Rovanperä was wistful after the competition, because he will not be competing in Estonia next year.

– I love this country. A big thank you to the fans, Finns and Estonians. Estonians also support me. I love this rally. Organizers and all. It is a pity that the rally will not be included next year, Rovanperä said emotionally.

Rovanperä recorded no less than 13 consecutive bottom times in the convincing victory. In the 2000s, only a nine-time world champion Sebastian Loeb has been able to do better.

Rovanperä won a total of 15 special tests out of 21 possible in Estonia. The good-natured rally champion was seen in the interviews.

– If I want to run the soles, I drive the soles, Rovanperä blurted out after a special test, switching the language between everything from English to Finnish.

The drama of Jyväskylä did not stop

Kalle Rovanperä’s season is full of successes, but the Finnish star’s race took a dramatic turn in the World Rally Championship in Jyväskylä. The driver, who was chasing his first home rally victory, had set five bottom times on the second day of the rally, but crashed his car from the top spot.

Rovanperä’s car went over through the roof.

– Kalle had a tough time. At ten kilometers there were differences of three and four seconds to Elfyn Evans and to Thierry Neuville. A real shame, Ralliradio’s expert Ville Pynnönen stated.

This season too, there has been reasonable speculation as to what will motivate the two-time world champion of the sport in the future. Winning the Jyväskylä World Rally Championship could be on Rovanperä’s wish list.

An easy return to victory

Rovanperä washed away Jyväskylä’s disappointment in the next World Cup competition held in Greece. The Finn was completely superior with a wild one and a half minute winning margin.

Rovanperä, who once again dominated the Power Stage, grabbed a full 30 points. Greece was already a good place for Rovanpera, as he achieved the second victory of his career there in 2021.

After the tenth race of the season, the World Championship lead was already 33 points.

– Big relief after the suspension in Jyväskylä. We needed this. When you start first and finish as the winner, it’s never easy. The car is great: fast and very strong, a smiling Rovanperä commented at the finish line.

Seal for the championship in Central Europe

Rovanperä secured his second championship in Central Europe in the penultimate rally of the season on the last weekend of October. Kalle Rovanperä was second in the race by Thierry Neuville after and took his seventh podium place of the season.