(Reuters) – Toyota’s double world champion Kalle Rovanpera extended his Rally Latvia lead on the second full day on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Finn, who started out in rallying in the Baltic country, pulled away from his rivals to increase his advantage from 15.7 to 42.5 seconds.
Rovanpera’s teammate Sebastien Ogier made it a Toyota one-two, with local driver Martins Sesks third.
Estonian Ott Tanak moved up from sixth to fourth place in his Hyundai.
Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux of M-Sport Ford remained fifth, 8.4 seconds behind Tanak but 17.9 ahead of Briton Elfyn Evans of Toyota.
Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta of Toyota dropped back to seventh and championship leader Thierry Neuville is eighth in his Hyundai, while Esapekka Lappi and Gregoire Munster completed the top 10.
Neuville has 136 points to Evans’ 121 and Tanak’s 115. Hyundai lead the manufacturers’ standings with 311 points to Toyota’s 301.
Sunday’s decisive leg has two stages, each used twice.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Toby Davis)
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