Toyota’s tearaway Kalle Rovanperä drove the fourth fastest time of the day in the 16th special stage of the Finnish World Rally Championship and beat Estonia There in Tänakin the difference to 11.5 seconds. Esapekka Lapin Rovanperä, who came in second, covered Tänak’s Rapsula in the second leg by 1.2 seconds.

“It was a good bit again, although it was in pretty rough shape. There was quite a lot more than we expected. Let’s see what the tire wear will be like”, said Rovanperä, who leads the World Series by far, in an interview with the organizers.

Five years ago Jyväskylän winner Lappi was unlucky in the afternoon’s opening leg. The Finn’s car hit a loose stone on the 15th lap, which eventually hit the Toyota’s windshield, causing a large crack in Lapland’s field of vision.

In Rapsula, Lappi drove with a broken windshield, leaving Rovanpera by a clear 7.2 seconds.

“I’m not really in the mood to talk,” Lappi said in the interview, pointing to the shattered windshield.

Lapland is now 17.2 seconds behind Tänaki. The difference between the Finn and the fourth Elfyn Evans is ten seconds.

Saturday morning was driven through in light rain, but the final sections of the day are gassed up in nice snow. Two more special tests will be run on Saturday.

The rally ends on Sunday with four special stages.