Rovanpera Leads Rally Latvia: Toyota Sets the Pace

Toyota's double world champion Kalle Rovanpera led Rally Latvia, winning four of Friday's seven gravel stages. Local youngster Martins Sesks and eight-times world champion Sebastien Ogier followed closely. Hyundai's championship leader Thierry Neuville was ninth, with Hyundai leading the manufacturers' standings.

Toyota's double world champion Kalle Rovanpera led Rally Latvia on the first full day of the event, a round of the world championship. The Finn, who began his rallying career in the Baltic country, demonstrated his prowess by winning four of Friday's seven gravel stages, establishing a 15.7-second lead over local competitor Martins Sesks.

'Quite a good day, not the perfect feeling in the car but no mistakes,' Rovanpera stated, acknowledging Sesks' speed while commending his own team's performance.

Sesks, in only his second WRC round with M-Sport Ford, won stages three and four, finishing 5.9 seconds ahead of Toyota's eight-times world champion Sebastien Ogier, who secured a win in stage five. Japan's Takamoto Katsuta was fourth for Toyota, with M-Sport Ford's Adrien Fourmaux and Hyundai's Estonian driver Ott Tanak in fifth and sixth respectively.

Hyundai's championship leader Thierry Neuville ranked ninth, while his closest rival, Toyota's Elfyn Evans, was seventh. Neuville currently has 136 points, ahead of Evans' 121 and Tanak's 115. In team standings, Hyundai leads with 311 points against Toyota's 301.

(With inputs from agencies.)