Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera mastered a brutal opening leg on WRC Rally Portugal to head Hyundai rival Dani Sordo overnight. A thrilling fight in the morning became a matter of survival in the afternoon as heat, dust and punishing rock-strewn roads took a heavy toll in the fifth round of the FIA Wo.
Just four stages stand between reigning WRC champ Kalle Rovanpera and his first win of 2023 after the Finn obliterated his rivals on Rally Portugal’s Saturday leg.
Elfyn Evans stormed to victory at Rally Croatia on Sunday afternoon, moving the Toyota Gazoo Racing driver to the top of the FIA World Rally Championship standings in the process. An error from Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville on Saturday morning had propelled the Welshman to first overall.
Thierry Neuville led throughout Friday’s treacherous opening leg of WRC Rally Croatia, despite only winning one stage of the all-asphalt event. It was the Hyundai driver’s consistency which ultimately came to the fore as the roads in the hills west of capital city Zagreb tested the mettle of .