Rovanperä was quickest on the second pass of Swietajno. However, the gap to second-placed Hyundai driver Andreas Mikkelsen was only a tenth of a second. Rovanperä now leads the rally with a 2.8-second gap ahead of Mikkelsen.
“Pretty okay, could have been a bit better. It will be a tricky loop, let’s see if the tyre choice is correct. I think it will be tough on the softs but let’s see,” Rovanperä commented.
“We are trying hard, it’s very rough. Yesterday on the second loop I was trying to adjust my driving, today I don’t care about the tyres or the rims ,” Mikkelsen remarked.
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans lost 8.9 seconds on SS13. Evans had damage to his right rear wheel and did not comment on the situation for TV cameras. He now trails the leader by 9.3 seconds. Evans has only one spare wheel left, so he can’t afford another tyre issue.
In fourth place overall is M-Sport Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux, 20.3 seconds behind the leader. Latvian Martins Sesks is fifth ahead of Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville.
Luxembourg’s Gregoire Munster holds seventh position ahead of Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta by 8.6 seconds.
Sami Pajari, driving Toyota’s Rally2 car, continues to lead the WRC2 class and is ninth overall. Estonian Robert Virves is second in the class, 33.1 seconds behind Pajari.
There are two more special stages to go on Saturday at the Rally Poland. The competition concludes on Sunday.
Rally Poland Standings after SS13/19:
| POS | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota | 1:40:35.8 |
| 2. | Andreas Mikkelsen | Hyundai | +1.8 |
| 3. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +9.3 |
| 4. | Adrien Fourmaux | Ford | +20.3 |
| 5. | Martin Sesks | Ford | +40.9 |
| 6. | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | +49.6 |
| 7. | Gregoire Munster | Ford | +1:06.9 |
| 8. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +1:15.5 |
| 9. | Sami Pajari | Toyota | +4:28.7 |
| 10. | Robert Virves | Skoda | +5:01.8 |
Rally Poland Itinerary (CET):
Thursday 27.6. 10:01 Shakedown: Lubiewo (5.10 km) 19:05 SS1: Mikołajki Arena 1 (2.50 km) Friday 28.6. 08:45 SS2: Stańczyki 1 (29.40 km) 10:20 SS3: Wieliczki 1 (12.90 km) *CANCELLED 11:10 SS4: Olecko 1 (13.20 km) 14:05 SS5: Stańczyki 2 (29.40 km) 15:40 SS6: Wieliczki 2 (12.90 km) 16:30 SS7: Olecko 2 (13.20 km) 19:00 SS8: Mikołajki Arena 2 (2.50 km) Saturday 29.6. 08:30 SS9: Świętajno 1 (18.50 km) 09:45 SS10: Gołdap 1 (19.90 km) 10:35 SS11: Czarne 1 (22.40 km) 13:25 SS12: Mikołajki Arena 3 (2.50 km) 16:00 SS13: Świętajno 2 (18.50 km) 17:15 SS14: Gołdap 2 (19.90 km) 18:05 SS15: Czarne 2 (22.40 km) Sunday 30.6. 09:00 SS16: Gmina Mrągowo 1 (20.80 km) 10:05 SS17: Mikołajki 1 (10.73 km) 12:20 SS18: Gmina Mrągowo 2 (20.80 km) 14:15 SS19: Mikołajki 2 (10.73 km) *Power Stage
