Kalle Rovanperä enters Rally Italia Sardegna with a chance to secure his fourth consecutive World Rally Championship (WRC) victory, aiming to extend his 46-point lead in the standings ahead of the season's midpoint.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver arrives at the event—running June 2-4—after winning on snow, asphalt, and gravel in the first three rounds. His team-mate Sébastien Ogier, who won last year's edition, is absent this weekend.
Rovanperä will start first on Friday, navigating loose gravel stages that will improve as the rally progresses. "Sardinia has been tricky for me in the past," he acknowledged, "but last year I had a better feeling despite some issues. If conditions are hot and dry, it could be harder to fight from the front than in Portugal." He emphasized his team's strong foundation on gravel, though improvements remain a focus.
Hyundai Motorsport's Dani Sordo, a two-time Sardegna winner in 2019 and 2020, starts eighth in the order. Alongside him, second-placed title contender Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak form a competitive lineup. Toyota's Elfyn Evans, seeking a rebound after early-season setbacks, starts fifth, while Esapekka Lappi replaces Ogier in the third GR Yaris.
The rally returns to Alghero on the west coast after a 2021 stint in Olbia. Competitors will tackle 21 speed tests spanning 307.91 kilometers, beginning with a Thursday night start.