Kalle Rovanpera clinched a dominant victory at Tet Rally Latvia revisiting his early racing roots for a memorable win.
Two-time WRC champion Kalle Rovanpera has sealed a dominant start-to-finish victory at the Rally Latvia marking his second consecutive win on high-speed gravel tracks.
This victory is particularly poignant as Rovanpera began his rallying career over a decade ago on these very roads at the tender age of 12.
![Kalle Rovanpera dominates as Sebastien Ogier survives late scare in Rally Latvia](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/20072024/11e8b884-3623-4987-900f-50ea4f16edfb.jpg?operations=fit(180:))
16:00 - 20.07.2024
Kalle Rovanpera dominates as Sebastien Ogier survives late scare in Rally Latvia
Kalle Rovanpera won his 200th WRC stage extending his lead in Rally Latvia while teammate Sebastien Ogier narrowly avoided disaster.
The event kicked off in Latvia's capital Riga and saw competitors make their way south toward Liepaja over four thrilling days.
Rovanpera, driving the robust Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, established a solid lead in the first two legs of the race and maintained his pace to comfortably secure the win by the final day.
The Finnish driver's performance was unmatched and he faced little to no serious challenges throughout the race.
His closest competition came from his teammate, Sebastien Ogier, who followed him across the finish line to secure a one-two finish for their team.
“It has been a great weekend.It’s quite cool having almost my third home rally in a way, it’s cool to have the first win here. Latvia has been an important place for me. I think we were a bit stronger than we expected this weekend so I think the team did a good job," he said.
Meanwhile, drama unfolded in the battle for third place during the Wolf Power Stage.
Ott Tanak managed to surpass local favorite Mārtiņš Sesks after a crucial transmission fault in Sesks' M-Sport Ford Puma hampered his performance.
![Elfyn Evans second as Kalle Rovanpera wins Rally Poland](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/30062024/3f5d98f4-383e-46d6-a257-bbe7364f8322.jpg?operations=fit(180:))
18:45 - 30.06.2024
Elfyn Evans second as Kalle Rovanpera wins Rally Poland
Kalle Rovanpera unexpectedly joined Rally Poland leading Toyota to a dominant 1-2 finish after a last-minute team change.
This mechanical issue allowed Tanak to clinch the third spot on the podium, adding another layer of excitement to the race's conclusion.
The event also stood out as no Rally2 cars finished in the top-10 for the first time since Rally Spain in October 2022.
In the WRC2 category Oliver Solberg emerged victorious, placing 11th overall.
![Martiņs Sesks: Why Thierry Neuville is amazed by the rookie's debut at Rally Poland](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/08072024/41f12cc6-8988-4a98-a80a-2e43ff8ba29d.jpg?operations=fit(180:))
19:58 - 08.07.2024
Martiņs Sesks: Why Thierry Neuville is amazed by the rookie's debut at Rally Poland
Rally Poland saw Thierry Neuville impressed by Martiņs Sesks' debut performance highlighting the rookie's quick adaptation and skill on gravel.
His triumph at Rally Latvia proved crucial reviving his title campaign with a robust start that left his competitors trailing.
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