Finnish Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota), reigning WRC world champion, was leading the Estonian rally, 8th round of the championship, at the end of the 2nd day on Friday, ahead of Belgian Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) by only 3 seconds.
“It was quite a good day overall,” said Rovanperä on the finish of the day’s final stage. He had, however, had a good scare at the bend of a bend, narrowly failing to hit the trees bordering the road.
But it was stage local Ott Tänak (M-Sport/Ford) who put on a show on Friday by winning 5 stages out of the 7 contested during the day, the other two going to Rovanperä.
“My son encouraged me at the start so I had to ensure,” he said at the finish of the 7th which he won just like the first three of the day as well as the last two.
But it was a last stand, the 2019 world champion having suffered a five-minute penalty Thursday due to an engine change just before the start of the rally.
“I wasn’t in a great mood at the start of the day but I’m slowly getting used to it now and it’s not going too badly so far. I have a lot of support from the fans and that’s why I’m going all out, ”said the Estonian.
He therefore has no hope for the final victory but hopes to score additional points in the championship on Sunday during the “power stage”, the last special of the event.
Sébastien Ogier, who has only completed a few rallies this season for Toyota but has already won three (Monte Carlo, Mexico and Kenya), is absent in Estonia and will therefore not be able to defend his current 3rd place in the championship standings there.
The rain came to disrupt the debates on Friday by digging ruts, even if it however had the advantage of reducing the dust on the course traced around Tartu, in the east of this Baltic country.
Neuville occupied the lead until the 6th special before being dispossessed by Rovanperä. He is only 3 seconds behind the leader before the third day on Saturday which will see the competitors compete in nine other special stages before four others on the last day on Sunday.
“We are happy to be on the pace, that’s the most important thing for us,” said the Belgian driver, currently 6th in the championship 47 points behind Rovanperä.
Classification of the Estonian rally, 8th round of the WRC world rally championship, at the end of the second day on Friday:
1. Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen (FIN, Toyota) 1:12:22.2
2. Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL, Hyundai) at 3 sec
3. Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (FIN, Hyundai) à 12.2
4. Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (GBR, Toyota) à 14.1
5. Teemu Suninen/Mikko Markkula (FIN, Hyundai) à 33.8
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