Wrc, Rally Belgium 2022: accident for Kalle Rovanpera

Twist of the scene in the second special stage of the Ypres Rally of Belgium 2022: the leader of the WRC World Championship Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota GR Yaris Rally 1) went off the road and overturned several times. The crew came out unscathed from the accident, which occurred at km 9.2 of the second timed section of the day, on the special stage called Westouter-Boeschepe 1, the longest of the day with its total 19.6 km. The Toyota Finn came long in a left-hander after some understeer on the narrow streets of the Rally of Belgium, eventually hitting an embankment. The impact was substantial, but the Toyota GR Yaris Rally 1 body held up well, allowing Kalle and co-driver Jonne Halttunen to get out without any particular physical damage.

Back in the race?

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And to think that the day had started very well for Kalle Rovanpera. The Finn, very strong on clay for obvious reasons of origin, in Croatia had given way to be ultra competitive even on asphalt. In fact, despite the fact that he led the way, after the PS1 of the Rally of Belgium he was already leading the race with a margin of 2.5 seconds on teammate Elfyn Evans, currently leading the race. Rovanpera’s mistake, the only one to bring with him two soft, two hard and two rain tires, could have been dictated by the sudden delay that saw SS number 2 start a few minutes later than expected (four, to be precise). In this way, with Kalle stopped at the start waiting for the green light, the tires of the Finn would have cooled causing less grip than expected, even if the accident occurred after 9.2 km and not immediately after the start. Tonight the Toyota mechanics are called to a small undertaking: to restore, if possible, the number 69 Yaris to allow Kalle to return to the race on Saturday. Rovanpera would certainly have a huge delay in the Rally, practically impossible to fill, but by doing so he could compete in the Power Stage on Sunday, trying to win some points from a championship point of view.