The Finnish duo participated in the traditional Killarney Historic Rally in a historic-class Toyota Starlet. The car boasted a staggering 360 horsepower, but right on the opening stage, the situation turned difficult.
Rovanperä and Halttunen were forced to stop for over four minutes on the stage due to an electrical fault. Eventually, they managed to continue, although the engine was still having running issues even after the special stage. Rovanperä suspected in the morning that he might even have to retire, but the BMV Rally Team’s Toyota Starlet started running, allowing the Finnish pair to enjoy the rally all the way to the finish.
“It was fun to drive now. This was a great stage. My only goal was to be the fastest on Moll’s Gap, and we achieved the best time on the second run. I’m really pleased with that,” Rovanperä enthused in a video interview with DirtFish on social media.
“I also have to say that the local lads are super fast. It’s amazing to see how they drive. On the sections of narrow roads, I left a lot of margin because I’m not that familiar with the car. It feels like those guys are flying out there on the stages,” the Finnish star continued.
Rovanperä shared a video on his Instagram account, showing that he indeed had a good time. He caught up with the car ahead of him and executed an impressive overtake at full speed. The competitor had suffered a puncture, making the overtake necessary. After completing the pass, Rovanperä burst into hearty laughter in the cockpit.
Watch the video shared by Rovanperä below.
After the problems on the first special stage, Rovanperä was no longer in contention for victory in Ireland. However, setting a few fastest stage times lifted his spirits, and the extremely powerful Toyota Starlet, reminiscent of his childhood driving days, was undoubtedly enjoyable. After the opening stage, Rovanperä was last in the competition.
The rally champion lost nearly five minutes to the leader on the opening stage due to an electrical fault. After seven special stages, the gap was practically the same. Robert Duggan, driving a Ford Escort, led the rally by just over five minutes before the final stage. Rovanperä’s position in the modified car class was 19th, while in the overall standings, the Finnish WRC star was 23rd.
Rovanperä’s busy schedule continues next week as he participates in the Monza Rally Show in Italy. The event will also feature the newly crowned world champion Thierry Neuville, as well as Dani Sordo, Adrien Fourmaux, Sami Pajari, and Jari-Matti Latvala.
