News and Quotes SS7

After the interruption that followed the cancellation of SS6, the WRC crews made their second pass through the longest timed section of the day, the 23.81 km Zvotoky test. The road had dried considerably from the morning loop but treacherous mud remained as Toyota’s rally leader and WRC points leader Kalle Rovanperä set the benchmark as the first car through at 12 minutes 55.5 seconds. That time was almost ten seconds faster than his teammate and title challenger Elfyn Evans in second on the Central European Rally leader board. The Welshman being caught by the Hyundai of Thierry Neuville, just 0.3 seconds behind him as they head to the final stage. In the battle for fifth place overall Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta pulled away from his pursuers Teemu Suninen (Hyundai) and Gregoire Munster (M-Sport Ford). In WRC2, Adrien Fourmaux continued to set the pace with a scintillating drive to close the gap to the front-runners, while title contenders Gus Greensmith and Andreas Mikkelsen continued to battle onwards further behind.

#69 Kalle Rovanperä (FIN) / Jonne Halttonen (FIN), Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid

“I was quite careful on the first stage of this loop because it’s the first time for me these conditions with so much mud. Now I was a bit more clear on how to go and I tried to be just a bit faster so hopefully we can have a good time.”

#33 Elfyn Evans (GBR) / Scott Martin (GBR) Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid

“I had a really bad feeling so I was hoping (Kalle) was a bit the same but clearly not. Just couldn’t feel it with the tyre moving quite a lot to be honest so not ideal.”

#11 Thierry Neuville (BEL) / Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL), Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid

“The tyre is moving a bit but generally I have no grip so I’m really fighting to keep the car on the road. It is what it is. It was drying a bit in sections but as soon as you try to go a bit faster you go into the humid and dirty and, yah, not an easy stage but better than this morning.”

#8 Ott Tänak (EST) / Martin Järveoja (EST), Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid

“All same, nothing new so just coming through.”

#3 Teemu Suninen (FIN) / Mikko Markkula (FIN), Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid

“It’s pretty slippery. I think I just take too carefully the muddy places when I could go for it.”

#13 Gregoire Munster (LUX) / Louis Louka (BEL), Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid

“The tyre was overheating and we made all the car softer and when you are in the cuts it’s okay but when you are on the dry Tarmac it’s moving a lot and a bit of a new feeling so I didn’t want to risk anything.”

#20 Andreas Mikkelsen (NOR) / Torstein Eriksen (NOR), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2

“We’re nursing the car through. I have to survive like this. There is no way we can fix it before tonight. Just a small bump in the road it (the broken rear damper) hits and so if we damage more on the rear we have to retire so we have to be very smart.”