The two-time world champion recorded six fastest times on six stages and leads the rally by nearly a minute ahead of teammate Elfyn Evans. According to the Finnish star, the excellent times came without much strain.
“In the morning, I had to push a bit, but not so much in the afternoon. I felt that in the afternoon I managed the pace quite well. I felt quite happy pushing hard when it was clear and good conditions. In the tough spots, I took good care of the car and tyres,” Rovanperä stated.
In addition to Evans, Takamoto Katsuta and Thierry Neuville are about a minute behind the Finn. Although the gap is quite substantial, it doesn’t guarantee anything yet in an endurance race like the Safari.
“I wouldn’t say it’s enough. Not even close to enough. Tomorrow, if some big rain or something comes, as we have seen before, the gaps can be huge, and just small issues can create big gaps,” Rovanperä taunted.
“Tomorrow we need to work in the same way. And after tomorrow, maybe we can see where we are.”
Like other drivers, Rovanperä was frustrated with the drivability of his car, especially during the morning loop.
“In the morning, we had some issues. In the afternoon, we tried to make them better. I think it was a bit better, balance-wise, but I don’t think in this rally you ever have a perfect balance in the car. You just need to go with it,” Rovanperä summarized.
“In the afternoon, we were able to drive good stage times, even though we kept the car and tyres in good condition. We dodged quite a few rocks, but still got good times.”
