The 2024 Rally Chile Biobío saw drama unfold on the stages, with fog, treacherous gravel, and fierce competition turning the penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season into a thrilling spectacle. Kalle Rovanperä emerged victorious after a weekend of intense battles, mastering both his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid and the tricky weather conditions of Chile’s Biobío region.
Friday
The rally’s opening leg set the stage for a fierce battle between Elfyn Evans and Ott Tänak. Tänak, representing Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team, initially took a slender 0.4s lead over Evans. However, a revised time due to a red flag on the day’s first stage put Evans back in the lead by a narrow 3.0s—a critical decision that shaped the rest of the rally.
Reflecting on his performance, Evans acknowledged the difficulties he faced on Friday: “The afternoon was tougher for us. I maybe didn’t have the best feeling in the first couple of stages, but it was better in the long one to end the day.” Despite a strong start, his confidence waned slightly during the afternoon loop.
Meanwhile, Ott Tänak had a rollercoaster day. Known for his prowess in Chile, the Estonian initially struggled with a lack of confidence in his Hyundai i20 Rally1 Hybrid, trailing in fifth place at the midday service. Yet, some smart setup adjustments allowed him to claw back time in the afternoon, eventually pulling within a few seconds of Evans on the penultimate stage.
It was Sébastien Ogier, however, who showed the most speed, winning three stages and building what could have been a commanding 30-second lead if not for a mishap on SS3. “They were really difficult conditions,” Ogier shared. “Huge fog, and some of the most challenging stages of the year, I think. I have never done anything like this; it’s crazy. You drive and you are just trying to stay on the road—it’s a big challenge.”
Championship leader Thierry Neuville struggled with the slippery conditions but maintained a steady pace, finishing sixth at the end of day one. He summed up his day: “There wasn’t much more I could do.” His cautious approach, however, set him up for a comeback on the following days.
Saturday
Saturday’s stages, south of Concepción, saw one of the most dramatic shifts in the leaderboard as dense fog shrouded the winding mountain roads. Elfyn Evans, the leader at the start of the day, found himself in a battle against the elements as much as his rivals.
“The visibility was so bad I couldn’t see past the bonnet,” Evans revealed after dropping significant time in the foggy Lota stage. The deteriorating conditions forced him to slow down dramatically, losing his lead to Toyota teammate Kalle Rovanperä, who adapted quickly to the near-zero visibility.
“I have never done anything like this,” Rovanperä said of the foggy conditions. “It’s crazy. You drive, and you are just trying to stay on the road—it’s a big challenge.” His mastery of these treacherous stages helped him build a 15.1-second lead by the end of the day, setting the stage for a Sunday showdown.
Tänak remained in contention, albeit further adrift in third, 18.5 seconds behind Evans. “It is difficult to take many positives from this weekend; we were a bit lucky that Ogier hit trouble on Friday, but other than that, there was nothing we could do to take the fight to the Toyotas,” he commented. “We gave Rally Chile our maximum and scored everything we could.”
Behind him, Thierry Neuville mounted an impressive charge, climbing from sixth to fourth. His measured approach paid off, but he knew he needed a big push to keep his championship hopes alive.
Adrien Fourmaux, also recovering from earlier penalties and mechanical issues, put in a consistent performance to jump up to fifth in his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid. Meanwhile, Toyota’s Sami Pajari and M-Sport’s Grégoire Munster exchanged positions throughout the day, with Pajari edging into sixth by day’s end.
Sunday
Sunday’s shortened final leg was a true test of endurance, with the crews navigating more foggy and slippery conditions. Rovanperä, maintaining his form from the previous day, set blistering times on the rain-soaked stages to further extend his lead.
Rovanperä ultimately crossed the finish line 23.4s clear of Evans, sealing his third victory of the season and the 15th of his career. “It feels really good,” said a jubilant Rovanperä. “Big thanks to the team; the car and everything worked perfectly. The win actually feels like a good one—Friday did not feel so good, and the conditions were really difficult all weekend, so it feels really good.”
Evans, despite losing the lead on Saturday, was gracious in defeat: “It’s been a good weekend more or less from the start to the end. We showed some good performance and it’s an amazing result for the team, and I’m happy to be a part of that.”
Tänak, too, could only marvel at the speed of the Toyota drivers. “We gave Rally Chile our maximum and scored everything we could,” he reiterated, already looking ahead to the next tarmac events where he believes Hyundai’s road position could play in their favour.
Championship Implications
While Rovanperä celebrated his victory, the championship picture became clearer. Thierry Neuville’s fourth-place finish allowed him to maintain a 29-point lead over Evans and Ott Tänak, inching him closer to a maiden drivers’ title.
“We managed our result,” Neuville reflected. “We tried to push a bit more in the Power Stage but had fog for a couple of corners that cost us some important seconds and a few points. At the end of the day, I’m happy with the outcome.” The Belgian now heads to the Central European Rally with a comfortable margin, needing only a handful of points to secure the title.
Meanwhile, Sébastien Ogier’s championship hopes took a significant blow. After a stellar drive on Friday, the Frenchman’s rally was undone by a rock strike on SS8, damaging his steering arm and forcing him to retire. Despite salvaging maximum points in the Power Stage on Sunday, Ogier’s title bid now looks unlikely.
Notable Performances
Among the stand-out drives, Adrien Fourmaux’s gritty performance earned him fifth place, ahead of Toyota’s rising star Sami Pajari in sixth. Pajari, on just his second outing in a Rally1 car, impressed with his pace and composure in difficult conditions.
Grégoire Munster finished seventh, continuing his learning curve in the top category, while Esapekka Lappi’s rally ended prematurely after radiator damage forced him to retire on the penultimate stage.
WRC2 saw a thrilling contest between Nikolay Gryazin and Yohan Rossel, with both drivers locking out the top two spots in the class. Their results also secured the WRC2 Teams’ title for DG Sport Competition, while Gryazin claimed the WRC2 Challenger honours.
Overall Results
01: K. Rovanperä/J. Halttunen (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) – 2h 58m 59.8s
02: E. Evans/S. Martin (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) + 23.4s
03: O. Tänak/M. Järveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID) + 43.9s
04: T. Neuville/M. Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID) + 1m 01.1s
05: A. Fourmaux/A. Coria (Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID) + 2m 02.7s
06: S. Pajari/E. Mälkönen (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) + 2m 39.7s
07: G. Munster/L. Louka (Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID) + 2m 47.7s
08: Y. Rossel/F. Barral (Citroën C3 Rally2) + 8m 31.4s
09: N. Gryazin/K. Aleksandrov (Citroën C3 Rally2) + 8m 48.7s
10: G. Greensmith/J. Andersson (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) + 8m 52.1s
Drivers Standings
01: Thierry Neuville – 207 points
02: Ott Tänak – 178
03: Sébastien Ogier – 166
04: Elfyn Evans – 161
05: Adrien Fourmaux – 140
06: Kalle Rovanperä – 114
07: Takamoto Katsuta – 80
08: Dani Sordo – 44
09: Sami Pajari – 41
10: Esapekka Lappi – 33
Manufacturers Standings
01: Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team – 482 points
02: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team – 465
03: M-Sport Ford World Rally Team – 245
