Multiple World Rally champion Kalle Rovanpera has announced that he will leaving rallying behind after the 2025 season to pursue a transition to single-seater racing.
The 25-year-old is a two-times WRC champion, having competed his entire tenure in the premier class with Toyota’s factory WRC outfit. Rovanpera is the youngest world rally champion in history, having secured his first title at 22 in 2022 before successfully defending his crown in 2023.
Rovanpera and Toyota have confirmed that the driver will cease rallying after the conclusion of this year’s WRC season and will transition to single-seater racing by competing in the Japanese Super Formula championship in 2026. Rovanpera will continue to race with support of the manufacturer’s Toyota Gazoo Racing endeavour in the series.
In a video released on social media, Rovanpera confirmed that he was moving to Super Formula in 2026 in order to “prepare myself to race in F2 in 2027.”
Rovanpera says that he had been considering a switch to single-seater racing “for a while”.
“This decision has not been an easy one, but it’s one that I have been thinking about for a while,” he said.
“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.
“It’s 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 it’s jumping straight into the deep end, coming from rallying, but I’m 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 has prior circuit racing experience, having competed in Porsche Carrera Cup last year and raced in the GT3 class in this year’s Dubai 24 Hours. However, he has no single-seater races under his belt.
Currently third in the WRC driver’s standings, Rovanpera has taken two victories this season in the Spanish and Finnish rallies.
Toyota Gazoo Racing currently supports former Super Formula champion Ritomo Miyata in the Formula 2 championship. In his second season in the category, Miyata sits 16th in the championship with 26 points, with a single podium appearance in the feature race at Spa-Francorchamps.
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