Kalle Rovanperä Faces Disappointment with Retirement from Safari Rally Kenya

Kalle Rovanperä retired from Safari Rally Kenya due to mechanical failure while attempting to salvage points. After facing multiple setbacks, including punctures and suspension damage, he ultimately retired on the last day. This event further complicates his season as he struggles with new tire regulations, trailing behind rivals in the championship points race. Toyota Gazoo Racing faces challenges as a whole, with the 2025 rally yielding the weakest results since its return to the WRC.

On the final day of the 2025 Safari Rally Kenya, Finnish driver Kalle Rovanperä was forced to retire from fifth place, concluding a disappointing campaign. Despite his aspirations for securing valuable points, mechanical failure led to an empty-handed exit from this significant African event.

Rovanperä, representing Toyota Gazoo Racing, demonstrated early potential in the rally, trailing the lead by just 7.7 seconds at one stage. However, misfortune struck on Saturday morning with two punctures, placing him over a minute behind his teammate, Elfyn Evans. A further incident, where he damaged his rear-left suspension against a rock, hindered his progress and resulted in his drop to fifth place.

With victory aspirations dashed, Rovanperä aimed to earn maximum points during Super Sunday. Unfortunately, after the initial test on Sunday, he and his co-driver, Jonne Halttunen, were seen replacing an alternator belt. Despite their efforts, the car lost battery power, leading to their retirement from the rally. “It looked good if we would have been getting some points and staying close, but now for sure the gaps will be much bigger for us,” Rovanperä confessed.

This disappointment is reflective of a challenging season for Rovanperä, who, at only 23 years of age, has faced difficulties adapting to the new Hankook tires. Following underwhelming results in Monte Carlo and Sweden, this setback in Kenya complicates his championship aspirations as he falls behind in points compared to rivals Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans.

Toyota Gazoo Racing is also facing its weakest collective result in Safari Rally Kenya since 2021, despite Evans leading the rally. Rovanperä noted that past successes may have led to a depletion of their luck, stating, “At some point, you get all the bad stuff.”

As the next round of the WRC approaches, Rovanperä and his team must quickly regroup to recover from these challenges. To remain competitive in the championship, he needs to adapt to the new tire regulations and deliver a strong performance in Croatia, as any further setbacks could hinder his championship quest.

Kalle Rovanperä’s retirement from the Safari Rally Kenya symbolizes a critical juncture in his season as he faces several challenges. His struggle with mechanical issues and tire adaptation underlines a broader difficulty for Toyota Gazoo Racing. Moving forward, Rovanperä must quickly regain momentum in the upcoming rounds of the WRC to have any chance of reclaiming his championship status.

Original Source: www.tv47.digital