WRC Rally Monte Carlo
Rovanpera hopes circuit racing exploits can help 2025 WRC return
The two-time world rally champion is gearing up for a return to full-time rallying in 2025
Tom Howard
Edited: Dec 28, 2024, 10:03 AM
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Kalle Rovanpera, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT
Photo by: Toyota Racing
Kalle Rovanpera says he’s learned “many things” in 2024 and is hopeful his new found circuit racing skills can help him on asphalt World Rally Championship events in 2025.
The two-time world rally champion will make a full-time return to the WRC in 2025 after a year where he expanded his motorsport horizons by dovetailing a circuit racing programme alongside a partial WRC campaign.
In addition to winning four of seven WRC rounds started for Toyota this year, Rovanpera made his circuit racing debut in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux series. The Finn finished fourth in the championship after winning races at Imola, Red Bull Ring and Zolder.
Watch: Ranking Autosport's Top 50 Drivers of 2024 - 40 to 31
Rovanpera’s circuit racing exploits have also included outings in Porsche Carrera Cup Italy, while in November he tested an older generation Red Bull Formula 1 car at the Red Bull Ring.
Earlier this week, he announced plans to kick off the 2025 season with a drive in the Dubai 24 Hours ahead of the WRC’s Monte Carlo season opener (23-26 January).
Rovanpera believes his year exploring circuit racing has proved beneficial in improving his skills which can be transferable to rallying.
“I have learned many things about myself and what kind of things I enjoy, and what kind of things I want to do in my life,” Rovanpera told Motorsport.
“Of course, I have been learning as a driver also on the circuit racing stuff, I think there has been quite many positive things.”
Rovanpera had a run out in a Red Bull F1 car
When asked if he felt the skills learned could help him on asphalt rallies, he added: “Well at least I hope so. It always depends on what kind of conditions you have.
“If it is dirty and there are a lot of cuts and stuff it is not really like circuit racing but then if we have some super clean rallies, like maybe Canary Islands will be, I hope it will help me to have good feeling there.”
Rovanpera returned to the asphalt stages earlier this month driving a 2025 specification GR Yaris Rally1 at Rallye National Hivernal du Devoluy. The Finn finished the 10-stage rally in second position behind new Hyundai signing Adrien Fourmaux.
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The rally offered Rovanpera valuable mileage on the new-for-2025 Hankook tyres that were fitted to a 2025 spec non-hybrid version of his Toyota.
“It was pretty good, we had good conditions for the rally for testing,” he added.
“We were testing the new Hankook tyres also and it was a pretty good weekend overall I would say. We got a lot of important information for next year.
“You can definitely feel the weight difference [without hybrid power] which is the most positive thing about it. It is lighter so it is nicer to drive.”
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