The first half of the season didn’t go as strongly as expected for the Toyota driver. He has secured one win and two third-place finishes, but retirements in Kenya and Greece have taken a toll on his points tally.
Click here for the current World Rally Championship standings.
Next up are two of Rovanperä’s favourite events—Estonia and Finland. The big question now is whether Rovanperä can find the right setup for his car to be able to fight for victories.
“We haven’t driven this year’s car in Finland during the summer at all, so it’s hard to say where we stand,” Rovanperä told RallyJournal.com after the Acropolis Rally in Greece.
“But I’ve always had a good feeling there. Let’s hope we find that good feeling again and get into the right zone—so we can perform at the level we’re supposed to be at.”
After the Acropolis Rally, Rovanperä completed a one-day test in Estonia.
“Let’s hope the solution is found there,” he said.
Since Rally Portugal in May, the WRC calendar has followed a tight schedule. In addition to proper preparations, Rovanperä had another key focus in mind that could help improve his pace on the fast gravel rallies.
“Right now, I’m feeling pretty tired. I’ll make sure to get plenty of rest before Estonia so I’ll be fresh there. That should help,” Rovanperä noted.
Rally Estonia takes place around Tartu from 17 to 20 July.
