Kalle Rovanperä and map reader Jonne Halttunen start with an overwhelming points lead in the weekend’s Estonian World Rally Championship.
Top Gear chose this, the Transfăgărășan road, as the most beautiful in the world. PDO
Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen made a convincing impression in the cockpit of Toyota’s Rally1 car in the opening half of the season. There were no less than four victories in the six races, which have lifted the Finnish duo to a 65-point lead.
– The wins have come from quite different types of competitions. Some races have required raw speed, while other rallies have required more rational actions and avoiding mistakes, map reader Halttunen tells Iltalehte.
– The rationality and consistency of Kalle’s actions have been visible this year. Sure, we’ve both done things right.
Haltunen, who lives in Jyväskylä, has been reading sheet music to Rovanperä for five years. The cooperation has worked and at the same time they have risen to the absolute top of the sport.
Parivaljakko is now the biggest champion favorite when the second half of the season starts.
– We have to continue sensibly. The Rally of Sardinia was a good example for Kalle that you can only take reasonable points from the race if the speed is not enough. Don’t think about any championship stuff yet, because otherwise you’ll make things too difficult for yourself, Haltunen reminds.
The story continues after the picture.
The road is located in Romania. PDO
Rovanperä drove the first World Championship victory of his career on the fast gravel roads of southern Estonia a year ago.
In the next weekend’s race, top results are expected from Rovanpera and Halttus again, but the first starting position can bring its own challenges on the first day of proper driving.
– In Estonia, a lot of kilometers are driven on Friday compared to other races. That’s where we should basically suffer from clearing the road. However, it is not such a bad disadvantage in fast rallies, Halttunen estimates.
– The worst games should already be over. Now we focus more on speed. You don’t need to spin a lot in Estonia – then you immediately lose your investments. You just have to be able to drive really hard and flawlessly.
Before the Estonian race, Halttunen took a little break from everyday rallying, but even that time he spent in the cockpit of the car. Kartturi was involved in the Kumipallo4000 event, which went to Romania, among others.
– There was one road that Top Gear had chosen as the most beautiful road in the world. The scenery was great. There were also bears along the road, which had to be described.
– A really fun holiday week. It was my only vacation week this summer and even that was sitting in the car in the driver’s seat. It sounds pretty crazy, says Halttunen.
Halttunen will put on the familiar Toyota driving overalls on Thursday, when the test special stage of the World Rally Championship and the audience clip that opens the race will be driven in Estonia. The competition ends on Sunday.
Next to the road are amazing landscapes. PDO
Jonne Halttunen (left) works as Kalle Rovanperä’s karter. PDO