Rovanperä clocked the second-fastest time but emphasised that his starting position as the seventh car could spell trouble for the weekend. Since the Finnish star didn’t compete in a full season last year, he finished seventh in the standings and will start from that position in the notoriously tricky Rally Monte-Carlo.
In “dirty” tarmac rallies like Monte-Carlo, starting position plays a significant role. With each car passing, more dirt, and mud are dragged onto the road through corner cuts. However, Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala downplayed Rovanperä’s concerns.
“I think usually when we drive in the dark on Thursday evening, the starting position isn’t so critical. There aren’t as many cuts. That shakedown stage is known for having a lot of cuts and debris ending up on the road, making it quite unpleasant,” Latvala told RallyJournal.com
“What Kalle said is true, but I don’t think the situation will be as bad as he feels. Especially if the conditions are slippery and icy, the situation changes entirely.”
Rovanperä will also have to manage his starting position through Friday’s six stages. However, icy and snowy spots in the morning could make the task slightly easier, as drivers may have to stay on the main line, limiting the severity of cuts.
This season, the WRC has switched tyre suppliers, with Pirelli being replaced by the Korean brand Hankook. According to Latvala, the new tyres could play a decisive role in Monte-Carlo.
The rally’s variable weather means drivers will need to adapt to a range of tyres over the weekend, including winter tyres, dry-weather slicks, and wet-weather tyres.
Latvala believes that the tyre challenge could even work to Rovanperä’s advantage, despite the Finn not having dominated Monte-Carlo in the past. Rovanperä has always been exceptionally quick at adapting to changes.
“That’s a good point. Kalle has always been great at adapting to changes. For example, at the start of 2022, when we switched to the new cars, Kalle adjusted quickly. I believe he’ll also adapt quickly to the new tyres,” Latvala remarked.
“Of course, you could also say that (Ott) Tänak seems to have adapted quickly, judging by his shakedown times. We’ll see how it plays out during the rally.”
The service park, which returned last year from Monaco to the Alpine town of Gap, has allowed higher-altitude stages in the mountains to be included in the itinerary again, keeping the “spirit of Monte” alive.
“The conditions now look challenging and variable, so a mix of tyres will need to be used. It’s not as straightforward to make tyre choices as it was when we were based in Monaco,” Latvala pointed out.
