Rovanpera pulls shock WRC decision

The youngest title winner in WRC history and this year’s champion Kalle Rovanpera has surprised the rally world by announcing he won’t be competing full-time for Toyota in 2024.

In a shock announcement, one of the best drivers in the world at the top of his game, and at the age of 23, won’t race full-time in the World Rally Championship next season.

The Finn has declared that it will save him from burn-out and allow him to race a longer career going forward.

He’ll join WRC legend Sebastien Ogier as a Toyota part-timer, with both Takamoto Katsuta and Elfyn Evans to be the only full-time Rally1 drivers for Toyota next year.

It confirms the slightly worrying situation of having an even smaller field of Rally1 cars next season, with the likely scenario of there being only six full-time drivers in the WRC in 2024.

Kalle Rovanpera and co-driver Jonne Halttunen celebrate back-to-back WRC titles at the Central European Rally. Image: Red Bull Content Pool

Rovanpera has been driving rally cars since the age of eight, and for the last 15 years has worked up to the pinnacle of the sport in a way few have ever done, with even the greatest of drivers not winning titles closer to their thirties and beyond.

“This has been a big decision which you need to think about for a while, but I felt that now would be a good moment to have this kind of partial year,” Rovanpera explained.

“We have achieved a lot in the past years and now we can have a bit of a rest, let’s say, relax and charge the batteries for the future seasons which will be full seasons with the team. I think it’s going to be a good thing.”

Rovanpera has won 11 rallies in the past three seasons. Image: Red Bull Content Pool

He further explained that it was also a shock to both the Toyota team and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen, but that they understand his need for a lighter program.

“In the beginning, it was a big surprise, but they (Toyota) took it really well. We agreed together that, if I want to do it, next year would be the best time. They fully understand the situation and they also understand that it should help for the future for me to drive longer and get better results.

“Jonne (co-driver) also took it really well, of course, we speak about everything during the rallies and recces, and Jonne also knew that it might be coming at some point. He was not really surprised, and he also agreed that we have been driving full-time already for a while, and it’s not a bad thing.”

Rovanpera sealed his back-to-back championship at the Central European Rally at the penultimate round of the season, and recently finished third to Evans and Ogier in a Toyota hometown sweep at the Rally Japan.

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