P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Rovanpera: Commanding WRC Safari lead “not even close to being enough”
Reigning world champion Kalle Rovanpera delivered an impressive performance on Friday, securing the fastest times in all six stages and opening up a significant 56.9s lead over Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans.
Rovanpera’s standout drive came in stage four, where he was a remarkable 11.1s quicker than his closest competitor Ott Tanak, who later retired from the day.
Acknowledging his lead, Rovanpera emphasized the need to stay focused due to the challenging conditions of the Safari Rally and the unpredictability of potential rain showers.
Despite the strong showing from Toyota, Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville remains a close contender, only trailing Evans by 10.4s as they head into Saturday’s stages.
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala expressed satisfaction with their performance but highlighted the importance of maintaining focus and patience, especially with adverse weather conditions potentially affecting the competition.
