Rovanpera emerges from home forests leading Rally of Finland - Citizen Digital

Kalle Rovanpera of Finland and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen of Finland celebrate after the the WRC TET Rally Latvia WRC event on July 21, 2024 in Krogzemji, Priekule, Latvia. (Photo by Gints Ivuskans / AFP)

Finland's Kalle Rovanpera raced into the lead in front of home fans in the remote forest trails at the Rally of Finland on Friday's second day of racing.

On treacherous dirt and gravel tracks the two-time world champion won three of the day's nine stages behind the wheel of a Toyota.

Rovanpera finished the day 4.9sec ahead of defending world champion Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), followed by Adrien Fourmaux at 7.7sec.

Japan's Takamoto Katsuta is in fourth place, ahead of another Finn Sami Pajari (Toyota).

Eight-time former French world champion Sebastien Ogier (Toyota) is in sixth, nearly 20 seconds behind the leader.

Ott Tanak won Thursday's opening super special stage in Finland to take an early lead in the ninth round of the world rally championship.

But the Estonian, top of the title standings by one point, has had rotten luck in Finland.

And on Friday he had to open the road, dropping to eighth after losing more than a minute to Rovanpera.

There are eight more specials with over a 130km of action on Saturday with just two specials on the 24km course to close on Sunday.