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Rovanperä win sets up sizzling world rally title battle

Kalle Rovanpera’s win at the Central European Rally on Sunday deepened the three-way struggle for the world title as his Toyota team sealed a fifth successive manufacturers’ title. 

Rovanpera’s teammate Elfyn Evans finished second to take the overall championship lead.

With two races remaining, in Japan and Saudi Arabia next month, the Welshman now leads the championship standings on 247 points, 13 ahead of Rovanpera and another Toyota driver Sebastien Ogier.

Veteran Frenchman Ogier, who is gunning for a ninth world title, damaged his chances when he hit a tree on Saturday but he salvaged 10 points for his thumping win in the Super Sunday stage and the Power Stage.

Racing on tarmac in Germany, Austria and Czech Republic, this was Rovanpera’s third win of the year, following triumphs in the Canary Islands and Finland, but he saved his praise for the Toyota team.

“Huge congratulations to everyone in the workshop, clearly, we are super good as a team,” said two-time world champion who will leave the world of rallying at the end of the season to try a new venture, still with Toyota, in the Japanese Super Formula Championship.

The 25-year-old, however, made it clear he wants to go out with a bang.

“I’m hungry for the title now,” he said. “We increased our chances. It won’t be easy but we’ll try.”

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