The 2025 Acropolis Rally in Greece was a bitter disappointment for Kalle Rovanperä and Finnish rally fans, and former Formula 1 world champion Kimi Räikkönen has expressed his concerns about Rovanperä’s position in the world championship. Räikkönen, known for his outspokenness, told Sportti.com that Rovanperä’s retirement in Greece was a major setback for his world championship hopes, especially in relation to Hyundai’s Ott Tänak, who dominated the rally and moved past Rovanperä in the world championship points standings. Rovanperä has had a volatile season, and the failure in Greece has added pressure as the world championship continues in Estonia in July and Finland in August. Although Rovanperä showed a fighting spirit on the Power Stage, his 33-point lead over Tänak and 14-point lead over Sébastien Ogier make the championship battle challenging.
Rovanperä, a two-time world champion, entered the 2025 season as the biggest favorite to win the championship, as predicted by atleetti.fi . However, the Rally Greece, which took place from 26 to 29 June, was a sad one. Friday started promisingly, and Rovanperä was fourth after five special stages, as reported by MTV Uutiset . However, Saturday brought a turning point, when he retired on SS11. Rovanperä suspected to Rallit.fi that late braking and a possible differential failure led to the retirement: “Something broke, and one wheel was not pulling.” With the help of spectators, he was able to continue, but the retirement was inevitable. On Sunday, Rovanperä returned to aim for Super Sunday points, but a flat tire on SS15, at the 23.37-kilometer Tarzan section, took time again. On the Power Stage (EK17) he took second place and four World Championship points, four seconds behind Ogier, as reported by Yle Urheilu , but this was little consolation.
Toyota’s Sami Pajari, who is driving his first full season in the Rally1 class, also faced problems. Pajari, who was fourth on Friday, retired after SS5 due to a technical fault, an oil leak, as he told X: “The fault in the combustion system could not be fixed.” Expert Henri Haapamäki emphasized to Yle that Pajari’s retirement prevented him from driving important kilometers that would have helped him learn the limits of the Rally1 car. Haapamäki emphasized that Pajari needs to find a balance between risk and reward in order to develop. Pajari’s return on Sunday did not bring any top positions, and the Finns had a lackluster weekend.
Ott Tänak dominated the Rally Greece from start to finish. According to SSS.fi , he won by 32.8 seconds over Ogier, with Adrien Fourmaux in third. Tänak’s performance moved him into third place in the World Championship with 138 points, ahead of Rovanperä (117 points), while Elfyn Evans leads with 150 points and Ogier is second with 141 points, as reported by Sportti.com . Räikkönen stated that Tänak’s maturity and experience were evident in Greece, while Rovanperä’s technical problems and retirement showed that he needs to find consistency. Räikkönen reminded that rallying is a ruthless sport where small mistakes can cost a lot, and Rovanperä now needs to “drive perfectly” in the remaining races.
The conditions in Greece – high temperatures, dust and rocky roads – were trying for everyone. MTV News expert Teemu Suninen stressed that flat tyres were common, and Rovanperä’s EK6 flat tyre was an example of this. Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala, who was away from Greece due to his own driving schedule, lamented the team’s misfortune to MTV News : “We’re testing the expensive one now.” Juha Kankkunen, who replaced Latvala, stressed that Toyota must improve the car’s reliability so that Rovanperä can fight for the title.
Rovanperä’s season has been mixed. sectorallyfinland.fi praises his third place in Sardinia and full points on Sunday, but the retirements in Greece and Kenya have slowed his progress. Räikkönen compared Rovanperä’s situation to his own career, telling Sportti.com that “sometimes you have to suffer, but those moments teach you something”. He believes that Rovanperä’s talent is there, but setbacks like Greece have taken him further away from Tänak and Evans. The points situation in the World Championship is tight, and Rovanperä needs to make the most of the remaining gravel races, where he is traditionally strong.
The next race in Estonia (17–20 July) offers Rovanperä and Pajar another opportunity. ralli24.com emphasises that Estonia is familiar to Rovanperä, and he has won there before. The home race in Finland in August is his strength, and fans are expecting him to return to the top. Expectations are more moderate for Pajar, but his potential is undeniable. Räikkönen urged fans in X to support Rovanperä: “Kalle is fast, but now he also needs luck.” The Greek disappointment was severe, but the will of Rovanperä and Pajar promises better. The World Championship is still open, and the Finns can still rise.
