Kalle Rovanpera Triumphs in Rally Chile Amid Foggy Conditions

Kalle Rovanpera of Toyota clinched his fourth win of the season at Rally Chile under foggy conditions. Despite this, Hyundai's Thierry Neuville remains a strong title contender. Rovanpera's teammate, Elfyn Evans, finished second ahead of Hyundai's Ott Tanak, while Neuville ended up in fourth place.

Toyota's Kalle Rovanpera won Rally Chile in foggy conditions on Sunday, furthering his already impressive season with a fourth win. Despite the victory, Hyundai's Thierry Neuville made significant strides towards his first world title, maintaining a 29-point lead in the championship.

Rovanpera beat teammate Elfyn Evans by 23.4 seconds in the Concepcion-based rally, marking the Finn's 15th career win in what remains a part-time season for the double reigning champion. Hyundai's Ott Tanak completed the podium, finishing 20.5 seconds behind Evans, with Neuville taking fourth place.

Neuville now has 207 points, leading Tanak's 178, with Toyota's Sebastien Ogier on 166 and Evans on 161 with two rounds remaining. The Belgian driver could secure the title at next month's Central European rally, which spans Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria.

Faced with a challenging weekend and a less competitive performance package, Neuville said, "It was visible to everybody that we could not fight the Toyotas. We have two more events this year, and I am happy the gravel is over."

Ogier's hopes for a record-equalling ninth title dimmed after retiring from Saturday's leg due to suspension damage. Toyota, however, closed the gap to leaders Hyundai in the manufacturers' standings to 17 points, keeping the competition tight.

(With inputs from agencies.)