Kalle Rovanpera says he feels “recharged” and able to make a full-time return to the World Rally Championship subsequent yr after exploring his motorsport horizons this season.
The 2-time World Rally champion made a shock determination to conduct a part-time WRC marketing campaign this yr, stating a want to cut back quickly following his second consecutive world title final yr.
The manufacturing facility Toyota driver has nevertheless remained a key a part of the Japanese model’s WRC effort this season, contributing 4 wins from his seven begins thus far in Kenya, Poland, Latvia and Chile which has already exceeded his tally en-route to final yr’s world title.
Away from the levels, the 24-year-old has made probably the most of his free time by taking in a a number of additional curricular motorsport actions together with drifting and a profitable transfer into circuit racing. Competing within the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux sequence has yielded wins at Imola and the Crimson Bull Ring.
When Rovanpera made his determination to go part-time this yr, he maintained that he would return to the WRC on a full-time foundation for 2025 with Toyota.
Chatting with Motorsport.com at Monza, the place he’s competing in a one-off look within the Porsche Carrera Cup Italy, Rovanpera says he’s ready to face an expanded 14-round season subsequent yr.
“I feel my batteries have recharged, sure,” Rovanpera stated.
“I’m prepared to return again and race a full season, though will probably be even longer and more durable.”
Kalle Rovanperä, Jonne Halttunen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
Whereas Rovanpera is able to make a full-time return to rallying, he’s eager do to extra circuit racing sooner or later.
“So far as plans for 2025 are involved, for certain I’ll do the entire season with Toyota within the WRC. I’ll come again to do the entire season,” he added.
“After that, I do not know something but a couple of doable monitor program. I will surely nonetheless prefer to race on the monitor.”
Rovanpera’s outing in Monza this weekend comes off the again of profitable the WRC’s go to to Chile final weekend, which has helped Toyota reignite its producers’ title tilt by lowering Hyundai’s result in 17 factors with two rounds remaining.
Toyota can be with out Rovanpera for the penultimate spherical of the season on the Central European Rally (17-20 October).
The staff will area 4 entries for Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta, Sebastien Ogier and Sami Pajari.
Rovanpera will nevertheless confirmed that he’ll contest the yr’s Killarney Historic Rally in Eire (30 November), the place he can be buying and selling in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 for a rear-wheel-drive Toyota Starlet.
Further reporting by Gianluca Marchese and Giacomo Rauli
