The editors of the rally site DirtFish give Kalle Rovanperä’s early season performance a hard-hitting look.
Kalle Rovanperä starts the Rally Portugal in third place in the World Series. PDO
Kalle Rovanperä is in a good position in this year’s World Rally Championship battle, but the dominance of the early season like last year has not been seen now.
Last season, Rovanperä cleared the table specifically in the early season, when he won no fewer than five of the first seven rallies.
Before this weekend’s Rally Portugal, Rovanperä is third in the World Championship points. Break up with the team mates above to Sébastien Ogier and to Elfyn Evans there is only one point though.
However, the performances are often in relation to expectations, and that is why Rovanperä’s performances in the early season have also started to be criticized.
In the three previous rallies, Rovanperä finished fourth in all of them, and the only podium finish came from the opening race in Monte Carlo. The winnings account is still unopened.
Goal met?
British editors at rally site DirtFish ponder in his articlewhy Rovanperä doesn’t insure like last year.
– Rovanperä does not offer others the same threat as before. It seems that there has been a clear change in his behavior, reporter Luke Barry evaluate.
– Now that he has achieved the biggest goal of his career, the world championship, he seems over-relaxed, Barry continued.
David Evans brought up in his own reflection that this year Rovanperä’s competitors have been much better than last year.
– There have been three different winners in four rallies. The competition is more even, and the drivers have made fewer mistakes, Evans reflected.
Better is expected
Of the three editors of the article, Rovanperä took the most critical stance on the excerpts Rob Hansford.
Like Barry, Hansford also questioned Rovanperä’s motivation to compete compared to last season.
– He has honestly been invisible. He hasn’t made any big mistakes, but he hasn’t shown that he’s the undisputed fastest driver either.
– It is clear that he does not put himself under pressure, Hansford estimates.
However, Hansford also reminded that invisibility does not mean that Rovanperä is not a threat to others.
– Somehow I think that makes him even more dangerous.
The Portuguese rally starts on Friday morning.