Rovanpera Dominates Canary Islands Rally, Revives Championship Hopes

Kalle Rovanpera reignited his World Rally Championship bid with a commanding victory in the Canary Islands. The Finn led a Toyota sweep of the top four positions, narrowing the gap to current leader Elfyn Evans. This triumph marks Rovanpera's first win since Chile, boosting him to second in the standings.

Kalle Rovanpera revitalized his pursuit of a third World Rally Championship by clinching a decisive victory in the Canary Islands on Sunday. The Finnish driver dominated the rally, spearheading a Toyota sweep of the top four places and triumphing over eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier by 53.5 seconds.

Despite Japan's Takamoto Katsuta securing a distant fourth, Rovanpera's impressive performance on the Gran Canaria asphalt marked his first win since Chile, seven months ago. The double world champion jumped from sixth to second overall after four rounds, trailing leader Elfyn Evans by 43 points.

Rovanpera's unrivaled streak saw him win 15 out of 18 stages, including the first 12 consecutively, earning a maximum 35 points from the rally debuting on the world championship platform. Toyota extended its lead over Hyundai to 51 points in the manufacturers' standings. Adrien Fourmaux led Hyundai's effort by finishing fifth, followed by Ott Tanak and reigning world champion Thierry Neuville in sixth and seventh respectively.

(With inputs from agencies.)