Rovanperä needs a bit of luck to secure the championship already in Chile.
Kalle Rovanperä needs 27 points more than Elfyn Evans. Vesa pöppönen / AOP
Kalle Rovanperä can secure the second rally world championship of his career this weekend in Chile.
However, the task is not easy. Rovanperä should tear a big gap to his teammate Elfyn Evans on the gravel roads of South America.
The Finn currently has a 33-point lead over Evans. The gap should stretch to 60 points for the championship celebration to be held in Chile.
The Welsh driver could reach a 60-point difference even after this, but even then Rovanperä would win the championship with the countback rule (most wins, then most second places, etc.).
In order to secure the championship in Chile, Rovanperä must win the race and take points on the powerstage. Evans’ weekend must go totally wrong.
Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak are also still mathematically in the championship fight – Neuville 66 and Tänak 81 points behind Rovanpera – but it is likely that after the weekend they will both be out.
Scenarios for the World Rally Championship in Chile
This is how Rovanperä would win the championship:
- He wins the rally and the powerstage, and Evans gets a maximum of three points
- He wins the rally and is second on the powerstage, and Evans gets no more than two points
- He wins the rally and is third on the powerstage, and Evans gets no more than one point
- He wins the rally and is fourth on the powerstage, and Evans doesn’t get a point
This is how the championship would still remain open:
- Rovanperä won’t win the rally
- Rovanperä is not at least fourth on the powerstage
- Evans finishes at least eighth in the rally
- Evans finishes at least second on the powerstage