What Toyota expects from Rovanpera on his full-time WRC return

Toyota expects Kalle Rovanpera to be fighting for the World Rally Championship title on his full-time return this year as the Finn ramped up his Monte Carlo preparations this week.

The two-time world champion will contest the full 14-round season this year after conducting a partial campaign last year, which still yielded four wins and helped Toyota secure a fourth consecutive manufacturers’ crown.

Rovanpera was back behind the wheel of a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 car earlier this week as the reigning world champion squad kicked off its Monte Carlo Rally (23-26 January) pre-event test. The running saw Rovanpera tackle snow and ice covered French roads as he gathered valuable mileage driving the new-for-2025 hybrid-less car running on Hankook tyres.

Team-mates Elfyn Evans, Sebastien Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta and new signing Sami Pajari will also receive time in the car.

Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala fully expects Rovanpera to be fully committed and fighting for a third world title this year. He also believes Rovanpera’s circuit racing exploits last year, which will continue with an endurance racing debut at this weekend’s Dubai 24 Hours, could increase his skills on asphalt rallies.

“I expect him to be fighting for the title, he is going to be fast for sure,” said Latvala.

“When he comes he wants to win but let’s see. We also know that Kalle has been experimenting in 2024 and I’m not sure he will drive many years in rally but when he does he will be fully committed.

“Doing what he did [in 2024] can keep his momentum up and we saw it with Sebastien Loeb when he was doing all sorts of things [in motorsport] and then he came to Monte Carlo in 2022 and won. Maybe for the clean tarmac driving there is something he can bring.”

Speaking ahead of the test, Rovanpera expects his full-time WRC return will rewrite him to be “working hard” but is focussed on stealing the title away from Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville.

“Of course, I will try to work hard and have good motivation from 2024 for 2025,” Rovanpera told Autosport.

“There is just one goal to try and win again and be fighting for the championship so of course I need to come back working hard.”

Following the test, he added: “Monte is always a super difficult start and this year we have new tyres for everybody and I think that is actually going to be quite a big thing as everyone has to learn a new tyre in all conditions.

“But of course after last year Thierry has to be one of the top guys to beat and everybody is after him now. We are after him and let’s see how it goes.”