Rovanperä and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen were on holiday when they suddenly received a call to action on Tuesday. Rovanperä took a private flight on short notice on Tuesday evening to Poland, interrupting his jet ski tuning. Halttunen was picked up on the way from a tattoo studio in Tallinn.
Toyota WRC team principal Jari-Matti Latvala stated that this time there are no high expectations for Rovanperä to achieve top results.
“It is fundamentally very difficult to drive for the win if you haven’t done any testing and you are not fully familiar with the car. I have also told Kalle that we do not expect that from him,” Latvala explained.
“I know he won’t be able to drive for the win, and that is not the goal. He came here to support the team. If Kalle can finish in the top five, that is a good performance, and if he reaches the podium, it would be excellent.”
However, Latvala is confident that Rovanperä’s speed will improve over the weekend.
“The feeling will surely grow as he drives more and gains a sense of the grip. If the weather becomes challenging, it could be an advantage for Kalle,” Latvala considered.
“The most important thing is to find the feeling for driving and build confidence at the start. In that sense, the first stages are crucial to avoid any major mistakes. It is easier to attack later, and his starting position should also help.”
On the other hand, Toyota’s Elfyn Evans’ performance level remains uncertain. The Welshman struggled in the rough gravel rallies at the beginning of the summer. Poland should mark the start of a new attack, but there are still question marks.
“Elfyn had a good performance in the shakedown. However, he mentioned feeling a bit unwell. Hopefully, it is not the onset of a cold. He wasn’t feeling his best. Now, he just needs to rest and save his energy for the race,” Latvala revealed.
