Helle is one of the challenges of the World Rally Championship in Saudi Arabia.
Kalle Rovanperä’s rally started disastrously. Vesa Pöppönen / AOP
The World Cup rally in Saudi Arabia started with a huge disappointment for the Finns.
Kalle Rovanperä was four laps away from the lead when the left rear tire went flat for no apparent reason.
– That pretty much sums up this year. All these flat tires came out of nowhere. Now it came maybe 500 meters from the start, and I didn’t hit anything.
– This is how it is. Fortunately, we didn’t lose any more, Rovanperä said during a service break.
He is now tenth in the race, well over a minute away from the top.
– We just keep driving. Let’s see how long it lasts.
During the interview, Rovanperä was wearing a rally novelty from Saudi Arabia, i.e. a cooling vest, with which he can keep his body temperature tolerable.
– Now it came to the drivers. It really helps, because now you can properly cool down your body with transitions.
– It stays cooler even with a short cut.