Kalle Rovanpera will switch from rallying to circuit racing next year after confirming plans to leave the World Rally Championship for Japan’s Super Formula single-seater series.
The move will see the two-time world champion leave the WRC at the end of the season after six years competing in rallying’s top tier with Toyota, beginning in 2020. The 25-year-old will continue his association with Toyota, which will support Rovanpera in Super Formula.
While racing in single-seaters is a bold new challenge for the Finn, Rovanpera has already made his circuit racing debut last year, competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux and Italy series after opting to contest only a partial WRC campaign. Rovanpera won three races in the Benelux series, alongside four WRC victories.
Rovanpera also sampled single-seaters for the first time last year when he drove Formula 4 and Formula Renault 3.5 machinery at the Red Bull Ring, before logging laps behind the wheel of an older-generation Red Bull Formula 1 car.
“This decision has not been an easy one, but itʼs one that I have been thinking about for a while,” said Rovanpera.
Kalle Rovanperä, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Photo by: Toyota Racing
“Having already achieved so much in rallying at this age, I started to think about what other possibilities I might have and what other challenges I would like to take on. It has been a tough decision, but it feels like the right one to pursue my next dreams and challenges. Itʼs special to have the support of Toyota Gazoo Racing from the start of this new challenge and to be able to race in Super Formula.
“I know that itʼs jumping straight into the deep end, coming from rallying, but Iʼm really looking forward to it and together with TGR we have a good plan to prepare in the best way possible and to try and make the most of it.”
Rovanpera’s new challenge comes after an impressive WRC career where he has ripped up the record book.
After winning the WRC2 title in 2019, Rovanpera joined the Toyota factory WRC squad in 2020 before going on to win back-to-back world titles in 2022 and 2023, and has claimed 17 rally wins to date. Co-driven by Jonne Halttunen, Rovanpera holds the record for the youngest-ever WRC podium finisher, winner and world champion. Rovanpera lifted his first world title a day after turning 22, smashing the previous record for youngest world champion held by Colin McRae, who was 27 when he was crowned in 1995.
Rovanpera remains in the hunt for a third world title this year, sitting 21 points behind championship leader and Toyota team-mate Sebastien Ogier with three rounds remaining.
“Since I started driving as a small kid, it was my dream to be a WRC driver, to win a rally, and to become world champion,” Rovanpera added.
Winners Kalle Rovanperä, Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
“To have achieved all that at such a young age has been an incredible feeling, and a big thanks goes to TGR-WRT: we have done some really great things together and it has been a pleasure to work with such an amazing team. I also canʼt thank Jonne enough for his help since our first days working together.
“Very big thanks too to all the fans who have been supporting us through all the ups and downs. We still have three rallies to go and we will give it everything and keep pushing until the end.”
Toyota is yet to announce who will replace Rovanpera in its WRC line-up for next year, although team principal Jari-Matti Latvala, who paid tribute to his outgoing driver, is confident the team will boast a strong line-up.
“Given he has achieved so much and is still so young, itʼs only natural that he would want to go for another challenge while he is able to do so. Weʼve seen racing drivers come and try rallying, but very rarely have we seen it the other way around: that a rally driver goes to circuit racing and tries to challenge the best, especially not in single-seater racing,” said Latvala.
“Kalle, together with Jonne, has played a big part in our teamʼs success over the last few seasons and, with three rallies left, I know he will certainly want to end his rally career as world champion – though he has two team-mates who also desperately want to win.
“We will miss having him in our team, but TGR has been working hard to develop talented young rally drivers and we can be confident that we will be able to count on a strong line-up of drivers in 2026 and beyond.”
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– The Autosport.com Team
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