Finnish sensation Kalle Rovanperä etched his name in the annals of the FIA World Rally Championship with a breathtaking performance at the ORLEN 80th Rally Poland on Sunday, capturing what many are hailing as one of the most remarkable victories in recent memory.
Tasked with filling in for Sébastien Ogier at the eleventh hour for Toyota GAZOO Racing, Rovanperä and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen faced an uphill battle with less than 48 hours to prepare. Despite the odds stacked against them, Rovanperä demonstrated exceptional skill and resilience throughout the rally, piloting the GR Yaris Rally1 to a commanding 13th career victory.
The final leg of the rally saw Rovanperä enter the day with a narrow lead over Hyundai’s Andreas Mikkelsen. However, Mikkelsen’s hopes of securing a second Rally Poland victory were dashed early on when a punctured tire forced him to limp through the opening stage. This setback allowed Rovanperä to extend his advantage, eventually crossing the finish line 28.3 seconds ahead of teammate Elfyn Evans, securing a memorable Toyota 1-2 finish.
Reflecting on his unexpected triumph, Rovanperä expressed his satisfaction, saying, “It’s been quite an amazing week. We came here and gave it our all, contributing valuable points to the manufacturers’ championship.”
The rally, characterized by scorching weather and demanding terrain, provided fans with edge-of-the-seat action as drivers navigated blisteringly fast roads and traded fractions of a second at every turn. Adrien Fourmaux clinched third place for M-Sport Ford, capping off a strong performance, while Thierry Neuville battled back from adversity to secure fourth place after overcoming challenges earlier in the rally.
With the WRC season heating up, attention now turns to the Tet Rally Latvia, a brand-new addition to the championship calendar, set to take place in Liepāja from 18th to 21st July. As the drivers and teams prepare for the next chapter in their quest for glory, Rovanperä’s stunning victory at Rally Poland will undoubtedly be remembered as a defining moment in the 2024 season.
Overall Classification
| Position | Driver | Car | Time |
| 1 | Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota GR Yaris | 2h 37m 7.6s |
| 2 | Elfyn Evans | Toyota GR Yaris | +28.3s |
| 3 | Adrien Fourmaux | Ford Puma | +42.7s |
| 4 | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai i20 N | +1m 10.8s |
| 5 | Mārtiņš Sesks | Ford Puma | +1m 47.0s |
| 6 | Andreas Mikkelsen | Hyundai i20 N | +2m 16.6s |
Drivers’ Championship Standings (After Round 7 of 13)
| Position | Driver | Points |
| 1 | Thierry Neuville | 136 |
| 2 | Elfyn Evans | 121 |
| 3 | Ott Tänak | 115 |
