Rally driving Kalle Rovanperä with great goals for the hybrid era of the World Rally Championship

Toyota Kalle Rovanperä is the only Finnish driver to drive a full-season rally in the renewed main category of the World Championship series. 21-year-old Rovanperä nailed a tough goal for the start of the season.

“Championship is always a goal. I don’t know if we’re still fighting for it at the end of the season, but yes, the goal has to be decent. At least I want to be in the medal fight, ”says Rovanperä.

Thursday night In the upcoming Monte Carlo World Rally Championship, the new Rally1 hybrid cars will be baptized. Drivers only have a few test days on the asphalt behind them, so at least the start of the race is sure to be palpable.

“The starting points for the season are certainly quite different from each other than usual. It is probably necessary to start calmly and carefully to see how things work, ”Rovanperä sums up.

“With so little preparation, hardly anyone has full credit for the car to be ready. At least I don’t have that kind of feeling myself. In any case, we are in a situation where it is difficult to assess the balance of power between the teams. ”

Toyota team manager Jari-Matti Latvala believes that the new racing cars will fit in the hands of a very young Finnish driver.

“As a young person, you learn quickly. I got to try a new car in Japan and found that they are much more busy. Rally1 requires a more aggressive and drastic driving style. I think it’s suitable if you don’t even prefer Kalle’s driving style, ”Latvala thinks.

However, Latvala wants to take the excessive pressure off the shoulders of young Rovanperä. The last time the Finnish world champion in the World Championship series was celebrated in 2002 was when Marcus Grönholm took the title.

“Sure, I hope Kalle can fight for the championship, but I wouldn’t make him my number one favorite yet. There are still races he needs experience with. I feel that 2023 could be Kalle’s year. ”

First basket champion candidates Latvala raises both from its own team and from competitor Hyundai.

“Elfyn Evans has been really close to the championship for two years, so there is definitely a lot of hunger. I think from Hyundai that Ott Tänak is really strong, because he has now been able to influence the development of the new car, ”Latvala predicts.

In addition to the Rovanperä, last season’s Junior Champion will drive the Finns in the Monte Carlo World Rally Championship Sami Pajari Rally3 rated car.

Toyota Esapekka Lapland will in turn open its season at the Swedish World Rally Championship in February. Lapland shares the third race car in the factory garage Sebastien Ogierin with.

“Esapeka’s program has not been completely locked. Sebastien wants to drive some gravel rally where you can start from a good starting point. It is certain that he will not drive in Estonia or Jyväskylä. They can immediately be called the Esapeka Games, ”Latvala explains.

“I’m also pretty convinced Ogier isn’t going to Kenya. However, I cannot confirm anything else. ”

Teemu Suninen is likely to get under the Hyundai Rally2-rated spending game this year and Jari Huttunen is a candidate at the helm of M-Sport Ford’s Fiesta Rally2. The duo’s World Cup season will probably start in Sweden, like in Lapland.