Ott Tänak gets the aura role.
Kalle Rovanperä there are no high expectations for success when he starts the Mexico World Rally Championship.
Toyota driver Rovanperä is the second M-Sport Ford Estonian star in the World Championship Ott Tänak too behind, when there are two races. Rovanperä made drastic tactics at the end of the previous race, the World Rally Championship in Sweden, when he decided not to attack with a full Power Stage special test.
Rovanperä didn’t want to get full extra points, lest he end up as a plow car in the gravel race in Mexico. Now the top driver of the World Series, Tänak’s task is to clean the roads of loose gravel on the gravel roads around Leon during Friday’s special tests.
Rovanperä starts as the second car.
– In Sweden, it seemed that it was not worth taking extra points. We start second here, but I don’t know if it’s so much better that we would be able to show anything here, Rovanperä said on the eve of the Mexico rally.
– Of course we try to run a good race. Mexico is not my favorite race, but hopefully we will get a little better feeling than before.
An impossible task
Kalle Rovanperä doesn’t charge expectations to the pin in Mexico. JANI KORPELA
Rovanperä has previously underestimated his chances before the start of the rally, but then in the race the Finnish star has pulled an ace up his sleeve and shown the others where the cupboard is. However, the starting position in Mexico may be too difficult even for Rovanpera.
– I’m going to follow what others are doing. (Sebastien) Ogier now starts from a good starting point for his favorite race. On Friday, it may be difficult to fight against others. Of course we will try our best and see what it is enough for, Rovanperä stated faithfully to his style.
Toyota team manager Jari-Matti Latvala knows exactly how much starting point matters in the Mexican gravel race. Latvala won the race in 2016, when he had an optimal starting position behind the front on the first day of proper driving.
– As the first car here, it is practically impossible to win. Even as a second car, the place is challenging. That’s how realistic you have to be, Latvala underlined.
– It will be a top performance if Kalle can drive to the podium here. Behind are tough drivers like Ogier. From the fourth car onwards, there are chances to win here.
Hyundai’s Finnish driver Esapekka in Lapland is the starting point exactly where, according to Latvala, you can even fight for victory. Lapland, which is seventh in the World Series, has high expectations for the competition.
– If we can drive without problems, I bet we’ll be among the top five. I think our ride is enough here. Today, the podium must be the goal every time. We have to rush there, Lappi said.
The World Rally Championship in Mexico starts with two short public stages on the night before Friday Finnish time.