Rovanperä Clear in Estonia Shakedown – dirty fish

At an event that he has dominated since 2021, Kalle Rovanperä sees again from the man he can defeat in 2025 when he set the pace in the Shakedown rally.

While the gravel season in the World Rally Championship continues deep into the summer, Estonia marks the first of two consecutive high-speed events two weeks before the trip to Finland.

Elfyn Evans has only 12 points in his hand over his closest (current) title contender Tänak, who arrives in a rich form in his home event.

But it was not the home hero that spread the Timing screens, although it was the fastest at the first run -which was unusually two hours after the first rally -2 cars, which means that the stage offered more than many drivers expected.

Instead, it was Rovanperä, which free of what Takamoto Katsuta had to do.

“It's so nice to be here again, my favorite race of the year,” said Rovanperä. “Obviously, we didn't feel as good this year as always, but this weekend we try to do something well.

“The feeling at the moment is not that bad, so we will make it obvious and see what happens.”