Kalle Rovanpera, 22 years previous, has change into the youngest ever winner of a World Rally Championship (WRC) title after successful Rally New Zealand. Driving for the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Workforce with co-driver Jonne Halttunen, Rovanpera is barely in his third season of rallying on the prime tier of the game.
The Finnish driver, who father additionally took half within the WRC earlier than, is greater than 5 years youthful than the earlier record-holder, Colin McRae, when he gained the championship in 1995.
“I don’t take into consideration the age an excessive amount of, nevertheless it’s nonetheless particular to know we may obtain this. It means rather a lot, to change into champion is the one purpose I ever had on this sport,” he mentioned.
Rovanpera has had a superb run this 12 months, the primary 12 months of the WRC’s new hybrid Rally1 laws. His victory in New Zealand is his sixth of the 2022 WRC with the Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID. Having led the standings since successful spherical 2 in Sweden in February, he can now verify the title with 2 rounds remaining (in Spain and in Japan).
The WRC title is the eighth gained by a Toyota driver and the fourth in as a few years. Rovanpera is the primary Finnish driver to win the championship for 20 years and the primary to take action driving a automobile in-built Finland.
Rovanpera’s velocity in troublesome climate circumstances was central to his victory in New Zealand, the place the graceful gravel roads winding by means of the countryside had been used for a WRC spherical the primary time in a decade. After ending the longest day of the rally on Friday in blended circumstances in fourth total, he excelled on a soaking moist Saturday on his twenty second birthday to take over the lead and construct a bonus of just about half a minute.
Sunday introduced additional moist climate for the ultimate 4 phases however the Toyota driver managed his lead forward of the rally-ending Energy Stage. Solely a top-four time there was wanted to safe the two additional bonus factors he required for the championship. However he nonetheless recorded the quickest time – the seventh event he has topped the Energy Stage this season.
2021 WRC champion Sebastien Ogier accomplished a 1-2 end for the staff on his fourth begin of the 2022 season. A part of an in depth 4-way battle for the lead earlier within the rally, he performed an necessary function for his team-mates by taking factors away from their championship rivals.
Hyundai driver. Thierry Neuville, who completed fourth noticed his title hopes finish when his automobile has gearbox issues on the second day. Casualties on the rally included GR Yaris drivers Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta in addition to M-Sport Ford Puma’s Gus Greensmith who had a dramatic accident.
The incidents that affected the Rally1 frontrunners meant that New Zealander Hayden Paddon completed as excessive as sixth total in addition to successful the WRC2 class along with his Hyundai i20N Rally2.
The 1-2 end total, plus the primary and third quickest instances from the Energy Stage, ensures that the staff will increase its Producers’ championship result in 81 factors, with 104 factors left accessible.
Akio Toyoda, Founding father of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Workforce and President of Toyota Motor Company, mentioned: “A journalist requested me the opposite day why Kalle is that this sturdy, and my immediate reply was “as a result of he loves donuts”! I believe these phrases got here out as a result of I keep in mind very nicely that Kalle did donuts throughout one of many Energy Levels earlier than, and I consider he’s sturdy as a result of he all the time enjoys driving. I actually thank him for driving and having fun with the GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID and changing into World Champion. I hope we will have a spot to rejoice someplace and luxuriate in donuts collectively.”
