The second day of the Central European Rally has come to an end. Kalle Rovanperä took the lead from Thierry Neuville on the day.
SS3, Vlachovo Brezi 1
Kalle Rovanperä started the second day of the Central European Rally with a stage win. With Rovanperä posting a time 1.8 seconds faster than Esapekka Lappi to win the stage. Elfyn Evans finished third fastest on the stage, 1.6 seconds slower than Lappi. Thierry Neuville set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 1.1 seconds slower than Evans. Ott Tänak rounded out the top five on the stage, 5.1 seconds slower than Neuville.
SS4, Zvotoky 1
Kalle Rovanperä once again took the stage win on SS4. With the championship leader setting a time 10.1 seconds faster than Esapekka Lappi to win the stage. Elfyn Evans once again finished third fastest on the stage, 4.5 seconds slower than Lappi. Thierry Neuville posted the fourth fastest time on the stage, 4.9 seconds slower than Evans. Ott Tänak rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 4 seconds slower than Neuville.
SS5, Sumavske Hostice 1
Kalle Rovanperä also took the win on the fifth stage of the Central European Rally. With the Fin posting a time 6.4 seconds faster than championship rival Elfyn Evans to win the stage. Thierry Neuville finished third fastest on the stage, 5.6 seconds slower than Evans. Ott Tänak set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 3.4 seconds slower than Neuville. Sebastien Ogier rounded out the top five on the stage, 5.8 seconds slower than Tänak.
SS6, Vlachovo Brezi 2
Elfyn Evans stopped Rovanperä’s dominance with a stage win on SS6. Evans would set a time 1.1 seconds faster than Thierry Neuville to take his first stage win of the day. Kalle Rovanperä finished third fastest on the stage, 0.6 seconds slower than Neuville. Ott Tänak posted the fourth fastest time on the stage, 6.9 seconds slower than Rovanperä. Grégoire Munster rounded out the top five on the stage, 2.9 seconds slower than Tänak.
SS7, Zvotoky 2
Kalle Rovanperä was back to his ways on the seventh stage of the Central European Rally. With Rovanperä posting a time 8 seconds faster than Thierry Neuville to take the stage win. Elfyn Evans finished third fastest on the stage, 1.7 seconds slower than Neuville. Ott Tänak set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 7.9 seconds slower than Evans. Sebastien Ogier rounded out the top five on the stage, 6.6 seconds slower than Tänak.
SS8, Sumavske Hostice 2
Thierry Neuville capped the second day of the Central European Rally with a stage win. The Belgian would set a time 1.1 seconds faster than Kalle Rovanperä to win the stage. Elfyn Evans finished third fastest on the stage, 10 seconds slower than Rovanperä. Sebastien Ogier posted the fourth fastest time on the stage, 5.7 seconds slower than Evans. Ott Tänak rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 6.4 seconds slower than Ogier.
Rovanperä Dominates
Kalle Rovanperä was at his A-game today. Winning 4 out of the day’s 6 stages and taking a 36.4-second lead over Thierry Neuville into day three. This is ideal for Rovanperä who has a chance to win the championship this weekend. Rovanperä sits 47.2 seconds up on his championship rival Elfyn Evans. All Rovanperä has to do now is hold his lead. This is Rovanperä however and he will likely continue to push tomorrow. As if he didn’t, there may be cause for concern.
Not Again
Esapekka Lappi is once again out of the rally due to an accident. His rally lasted 4 stages longer than it did in Chile earlier this month. However, on SS5 Lappi would go wide on a corner and clip a tree. Flinging his car into a berm and then off the road. His i20 was too damaged to continue. He may rejoin the event tomorrow but it’s looking unlikely.
What To Expect From Day Three Of The Central European Rally
Day three of the Central European Rally will see drivers compete two loops of three stages yet again. This time the loops are shorter, only totalling 54.75 km for each loop. Making the total stage kilometres on the stage 109.50. This time however Kalle Rovanperä won’t be the first on the road. He will be the last Rally1 car to drive the stage. Being the current rally leader is a slight disadvantage for Rovanperä on tarmac. As overtime, the more drivers cut on the stage the more dirt and mud will go out onto the road. Pierre-Louis Loubet will be first on the road as he currently sits last. Then Grégoire Munster second and Teemu Suninen third.