NZ Rally winner Rovanpera (22) seals world championship
AUCKLAND: Kalle Rovanpera has become the youngest World Rally Championship winner in history with victory at Rally New Zealand.
The Finn, who turned 22 on Saturday, clinched both titles in Auckland, 34.6 seconds clear of eighttime world champion and teammate Sebastian Ogier, with Ott Tanak another 13.9sec back in third.
Rovanpera surpasses the late Collin McCrae, who won the 1995 WRC title at 27, as the youngest winner.
The Toyota driver’s 30 championship points from Rally New Zealand gives him an unassailable lead over Tanak with two rallies to go.
Rovanpera yesterday thanked his team and supporters.
‘‘It’s quite a big relief after such a good season and finally we are here.’’
Rovanpera finished in emphatic fashion, winning the final power stage at Jack’s Ridge in Whitford by 0.6sec.
Kiwi rally star Hayden Paddon and codriver John Kennard won the WRC2 class in their Hyundai i20 N Rally2, setting themselves up nicely for next year’s aim of competing in and winning the global WRC2 championship.
Paddon also wrapped up his sixth New Zealand Rally Championship title.
The Kiwis were delighted to show their pace on home roads in a worldclass event as the WRC ran in New Zealand for the first time in 10 years.
‘‘It’s a big tick in the box this year,’’ Paddon said.
‘‘Pleased the pressure is off of actually doing this because we would’ve looked not so good if we did something silly. Very happy to get this done.’’
Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen placed third overall in the WRC2 class, 3min 25.1sec off the pace.
‘‘It’s not tough, it’s fun. I’m driving a rally car in the World Rally Championship — it’s pretty cool.
‘‘I’m living my dream and to get a podium, I’m stoked. I’ve had a ball,’’ van Gisbergen said.
There was no shortage of aggression from Rovanpera to start the day, winning the day’s opening stage through Whitford Forest to extend his lead over Ogier.
Tanak went full throttle as the drivers got their first taste of Jack’s Ridge in stage 15, where the Estonian ousted the Finn by 1.7sec.
Ogier was content to let his Toyota teammate remain in front, with his main objective holding off Hyundai’s Tanak to secure the onetwo finish for the manufacturers’ championship points. But that did not stop the Frenchman from winning stage 16, edging Rovanpera by 0.8sec and Tanak by 2.6sec. Paddon won three of the four WRC2 stages yesterday and relished the atmosphere at a soldout Jack’s Ridge. ‘‘The driving is almost secondary to the amount of people that are here. ‘‘ It’s just awesome to see rally in New Zealand so well supported; I think the best it’s ever been supported. New Zealand’s put on a good show.’’ Discussions have begun to secure the rally’s return in 2024. — The New Zealand Herald/staff reporter