Rally: Rovanperä becomes youngest WRC winner thanks to success in Estonia

An exploded record of more than 2 years.

Flying over Rally Estonia at 20 years and 290 days, Kalle Rovanperä defeated Jari-Matti Latvala (his boss at Toyota), winner of Rally Sweden 2008 at 22 years and 313 days.

The youngest winner of a WRC event, the Finn has therefore written a new page in rally history.

All with style.

First of hopefully many! 🏆🍾

Massive thanks to Jonne Halttunen and to whole Toyota GAZOO Racing WRC team! 🤩 # KR69 #ToyotaGAZOORacing #RallyEstonia #IKH #Silvasti #OunevaGroup pic.twitter.com/TxqkQzwO7H

- Kalle Rovanperä (@KalleRovanpera) July 18, 2021

Largely in the lead after the first special of the second day on Saturday, Rovanperä did not crack.

With the experience of an old man, the great hope of the Finnish rally did not make the slightest mistake during the second half of the event, to win with disconcerting ease.

Ogier towards an eighth title

Already second in the last edition of the Estonia rally, the Irishman Craig Breen does it again (+ 54′'8) and is still looking for his first success in the elite, at 31 years old.

Another Hyundai, that of Belgian Thierry Neuville, completes the podium (+ 1′14′'8).

Stuck in fourth place (+ 1′34′'8), the Frenchman Sébastien Ogier nevertheless achieves a good operation in the general classification. The championship leader finished the race just ahead of his closest pursuer, Welshman Elfyn Evans (5th at 2′04′'7). The seven-time world champion also finished the Power Stage - which rewards the first 5 with bonus points (5 points for the first, 1 for the 5th) - in 3rd place, ahead of Evans. The native of Gap is heading for an 8th WRC title, only one unit behind Sébastien Loeb.