The Toyota driver’s first World Rally Championship event of the season was ruined on Friday when he crashed into a bank and was forced to retire. With no stakes on Saturday, Rovanperä has the chance to score valuable points for his team on Sunday.
Rovanperä has also found a great source of motivation for Saturday’s stages.
“There’s always that bit of motivation, as the work needs to be done. My mates and mum are watching on the stages, so I’ve got to pull off some drifts for them at least,” Rovanperä grinned.
On Friday, the rally conditions were dire due to heavy snowfall, but on Saturday, Rovanperä and his colleagues got to race in sunny, frosty weather.
“Today’s stages are much more interesting. They’re more technical, and the sun even came out. There’s also a lot of fans watching on the stages, so it feels really good to drive,” Rovanperä said.
Saturday also serves as an excellent test day for Rovanperä in preparation for the final day of the competition. Sunday offers points for daily results and additional points from the Power Stage.
If Rovanperä’s driving is on point, he stands a good chance of clinching the full 12-point haul on Sunday
“Tomorrow, we need to be fast or at least try to be, so we can bring points home for the team.”
