In the lead since Friday evening and the ninth of the 24 specials, Rovanperä, who widened the gap in the championship again thanks to this new victory, finished ahead of his teammate, the Briton Elfyn Evans, relegated to one minute, and the Estonian Ott Tanak (Hyundai).

Proof of his domination since the start of the season - only the Monte-Carlo rallies, won by the Frenchman Sébastien Loeb, in semi-retirement, and the Sardinia rally won by Tänak, have escaped him - he signed the best time on more than half of the 24 stages of the rally, mainly contested on forest roads.

Rovanperä also recovers five bonus points after setting the best time in the last special, the "Power Stage", contested in dantesque conditions.

"It was a tough weekend but we drove really well. Thanks to the team and everyone who makes the car really fast," he said at the finish.

It is moreover in Estonia that the young Nordic prodigy had marked the history of his sport in 2021, by becoming at 20 years, 9 months and 17 days, the youngest winner in history.

If crowned at the end of the season, he would be by far the youngest WRC world champion in history.

Fourmaux 7th

In the lead for most of the day on Friday, Evans, sometimes too cautious under the capricious Estonian sky, gradually saw his teammate return in the afternoon.

Until this last special of the day when, badly engaged on a soggy track and in pouring rain, the Welshman let the lead of the race slip away in favor of his rival.

From then on, the Finn showered any hint of resistance, widening the gap without taking unnecessary risks.

Expected as one of the favourites, Ott Tänak finished on the podium but far behind the Toyotas.

Friday, the local of the stage had demoted from second to third place after receiving a penalty for not having respected a point of the regulations.

He never again managed to answer the leading men.

With 175 points in seven rounds, Rovanperä is now 83 points ahead of Belgian Thierry Neuville, 4th on Sunday, and 96 over Evans, again third at the expense of Tänak.

Neuville, a five-time world rally runner-up, had a difficult weekend, acknowledging that he lacked confidence behind the wheel of his Hyundai.

For many drivers, the main thing on Sunday was to keep their rank, before the Power Stage run on totally wet and muddy roads.

The Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux, perhaps too cautious on "the most difficult special" of his career, notably paid the price, losing his 6th position to the benefit of the Finn Esapekka Lappi (Toyota).

He finished 7th but still signed his best performance of the season.

His teammate at Ford, Pierre-Louis Loubet, had to retire on Sunday after breaking a suspension on the first special of the day.

The championship continues with a new round on the same type of terrain but on the other side of the Baltic, in Finland, from August 4 to 7.

© 2022 AFP