Hi, friends!
Shakedown stage means nothing in the sport of rallying. It is something like a training stage where drivers try set-up of the car, their feeling with the car and where they try to improve both. Every priority driver must pass through shakedown at least once with priority one drivers obligated to go through three times. For example, each WRC3 drive (priority three) must have at least one pass through shakedown special stage.
The best thing of shakedown is for spectators because every time it is full of people, tens of thousands people come there to see their heroes, because they knlw that they will see every crew more times. That's why it is interesting. But times from shakedown are not counted for rally itself.
So, Estonian event of World Rally Championship started with shakedown and Finnish double WRC champion Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota) posted a fastest time in front of his team mate Takamoto Katsuta and current WRC champion Thierry Neuville (Hyundai).
Neuville's team mate Ott Tanak was 4th while WRC1 returnee Oliver Solberg (Toyota) was 5th fastest. Rovanpera is a strongest name here for the win but in this sport nothing is for sure untill you pass the finish line.
Let the best win - as always...
FULL SHAKEDOWN LINK:
https://www.youtube.com/live/jE9fh0UVd6Y?si=untNh6xxML4e3RyT
Credit for photos and videos to WRC and Youtube.
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