But I knew when we got a clean weekend and a good drive we would be back in the game. The Finn also admitted he had been having "a hard time personally" since the end of last year, which if anything increases the magnitude of this victory.Īsked if it was a relief to win, he said: "Yeah, it has been a bit too long coming. Road position and misfortune have hampered Rovanpera at times this year, but there have been several flashes of the 2022 magic. Winner Kalle Rovanperä, Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Toyota’s car advantage is not what it once was, as Hyundai has made developments while Ott Tanak has now given M-Sport a lift. Rovanpera’s mesmerising drives raised the bar last year, creating an expectations of him. An even more remarkable statistic is that last weekend’s win was his first for seven months, since he became the youngest ever champion after winning Rally New Zealand last October. It seems absurd that the Finn had been absent from the WRC podium since finishing second at the January season opener in Monte Carlo. But the manner of the victory, starting from second on the road, mustn’t be forgotten in this performance. Ten wins from 19 stages, and going 12.8s faster than anyone else on stage nine, underlined his speed. Rovanpera produced a faultless and stunning drive to dominate the event, winning by 54.7s from Hyundai’s Dani Sordo.
Portugal has become renowned for its rough, puncture-inducing roads, but it was no problem for the world champion.
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