With a second-place finish at the Central European Rally, Kalle Rovanperä has claimed his second World Rally Championship.
Champions Again
Kalle Rovanperä won his first championship last year at Repco Rally New Zealand. Winning it with relative ease as nobody challenged him until Secto Rally Finland. When Ott Tänak won the event. Just over a year later Rovanperä is lifting the championship yet again. However this one was slightly more hard fought than the Rovanperä’s championship last season. For more on Rovanperä’s 2023 season look below.
A Quick Look At Rovanperä’s 2023 Season
In 2023 Rovanperä had more of a challenge. As Sebastien Ogier won 2 of the 3 events to start the season. Rovanperä was left winless until Bonafide Rally Portugal. Up until round 5, Rovanperä only had one podium. Which was a second overall at Rallye Monte-Carlo. From Portugal onward Rovanperä was nearly unstoppable. Winning Rally Estonia and finishing on the podium at Rally Italia Sardegna and Safari Rally Kenya. However, everything changed at Secto Rally Finland, Rovanperä’s home event. The then 22-year-old was leading the rally on the third day. However, on one of the afternoon stages, Rovanperä went wide and clipped a rock. Rolling his car and ending his event as a result. This put Elfyn Evans back into the title race. Evans sat just 25 points behind Rovanperä heading into EKO Acropolis Rally Greece. Rovanperä won the event, expanding the gap to 33 points. Tire struggles for both drivers in Rally Chile BioBio left Rovanperä behind Evans. Closing the gap to 31 points. Everything was on the line for Evans at the Central European Rally. Rovanperä claimed all but two stage wins on the second day of the event leaving Evans in the dust. On the third day Evans’ championship hopes ended. As Evans would go off the road and hit somebody’s barn. Breaking his rear suspension and ending his day at the event. All Rovanperä had to do was finish the event 7th or higher and the championship was his. Rovanperä sat second at the end of the third day. With just 4 stages on the final day, the championship was all but his. Rovanperä held on to second to secure the championship.