Rain and challenging road conditions marked the beginning of the weekend’s longest rally leg. Kalle Rovanperä, trailing Sébastien Ogier by just 0.6 seconds overnight, quickly took the lead following the opening stage of the Made in FRG test. However, Ogier’s rally ended unexpectedly during the next Keplý stage when he lost control, crashing into a tree. The incident resulted in significant damage to his GR Yaris Rally1 and resulted in a 10G impact. Fortunately, both Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais emerged unscathed.
Rovanperä’s Strong Performance
Rovanperä capitalized on Ogier’s misfortune, winning the 21.95 km test by 6.4 seconds ahead of Elfyn Evans. He also achieved a competitive third-fastest time in the following dry Klatovy test, ultimately leading the event by 39.2 seconds at the mid-leg tyre fitting zone.
Competitor Responses
- Rovanperä expressed relief for Ogier, wishing both him and Landais well.
- Evans, rising to second place overall, noted that Ogier’s retirement did not change their strategy.
- Ott Tänak, driving for Hyundai, held third place, just 1.3 seconds behind Evans.
- Takamoto Katsuta performed strongly, finishing first in the Klatovy stage and ending the loop in fourth place.
- Adrien Fourmaux led Hyundai’s efforts in fifth overall.
- Thierry Neuville struggled with performance issues, finishing seventh.
- Sami Pajari, Josh McErlean, Oliver Solberg, and Alejandro Cachón rounded out the top ten.
Championship Implications
Elfyn Evans’ elevation to second place has positioned him as a potential frontrunner in the drivers’ championship, given Ogier’s unexpected exit from the competition. Toyota continues to dominate the leaderboard, occupying three of the top four spots and remaining on track to secure the 2025 manufacturers’ title with minimal setbacks.
Next Stages
This afternoon’s rally loop will revisit the same three stages: Klatovy, Keplý, and Made in FRG, following the tyre-fitting zone in Klatovy. As the competition intensifies, drivers will need to navigate both their positions and the challenging course conditions effectively.
