WRC
Rovanperä: Rallying will always be close to my heart
Kalle Rovanperä says rallying has been the “biggest part of his life so far” and the sport will forever be close to his heart as he prepares to take on a new challenge in 2026.
The two-time world rally champion closed the chapter on his World Rally Championship career with a run to seventh in the season-concluding Rally Saudi Arabia as his hopes of a fairytale third world title faded away. Rovanperä headed into the season finale 24 points behind in the title race but was unable to prevent team-mates Sebastien Ogier and Vincent Landais from taking championship crown.
It proved to be an emotional rally for the 25-year-old, who will leave Toyota and the WRC to switch to circuit racing in 2026, beginning with a season in Japan’s Super Formula series.
Kalle Rovanperä on this year's CER - his final WRC event in Europe
© Jaanus Ree
Rovanperä made his WRC debut in 2017 before going on to make 86 starts, winning the WRC2 title in 2019, before graduating to Toyota’s factory team in 2020. Driving for Toyota, Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen claimed 18 wins, two world titles (2022,2023), 30 podiums and 269 stage wins.
Rovanperä broke multiple records, becoming the youngest-ever podium finisher, rally winner, world champion and double world champion, while his stunning drives and sense of humour earned legions of fans. Reflecting on an incredibly successful chapter of his life, Rovanperä admitted he is “super proud” of what he has achieved.
Kalle Rovanperä in action on Rally Saudi Arabia
© Jaanus Ree
“Congratulations to Seb [Ogier] and Vincent on the title: they fully deserve it, they have been very good this year. For us it was not really the last rally that we wanted but we knew that it would be tough. Still, the feeling is good,” said Rovanperä.
I have broken quite a few records being the youngest in many things. We will always be proud of those things and I’m super proud of everything we have achieved.
"It has been quite amazing. I have to say, [a] big thank you to Jonne first of course, we've had so [many] good times together. Thank you to every single person on the journey with me and Jonne. Thank you to Toyota for all these great last years, everybody in the team and the supporters since [the] first day. I can't thank you all.
“Of course it is sad, you know rallying has been the biggest part of my life so far. I’m going to miss all the people the most. The sport itself will always be close to my heart. I love rally driving still now and I think I always will, but now it is time for a new challenge and a very different kind of challenge. I’m ready to do something different.”
Kalle Rovanperä celebrates his maiden world title in New Zealand in 2022
© Jaanus Ree
When asked to pick out a moment from his WRC career that he will cherish the most, Rovanperä chose his run to a maiden world title in 2022, when he scored six wins to become the youngest ever world champion at 22. At the time it smashed the previous benchmark set by Colin McRae, who took the title in 1995, aged 27.
“I would say it is the first championship, it is a clear moment. It was my only goal. There was one thing I need to achieve and when you do that it is the biggest thing," he added,
“I have broken quite a few records being the youngest in many things. We will always be proud of those things and I’m super proud of everything we have achieved.”
