WRC champion Kalle Rovanperä explains motivation behind switch to single-seater racing

Two-time World Rally Champion Kalle Rovanperä is leaving the pinnacle of rallying at just 25 years old to pursue a career in circuit racing, starting with a full-season campaign in Super Formula. The Finnish driver, who has already achieved historic success in the WRC, cites a desire to push his skills in a completely new environment as the primary motivation for this dramatic career shift, with full backing from Toyota.

Why it matters:

Rovanperä's move is one of the most significant cross-discipline driver switches in recent motorsport history. A dominant champion leaving a series at his peak to start from a lower rung in single-seaters challenges the conventional career path and highlights a growing trend of drivers seeking to prove versatility. His success or failure could influence how other top talents in specialized series view their own career horizons.

The details:

• The Catalyst: Rovanperä told RacingNews365 that testing himself in circuit racing over recent years revealed a "super interesting" new challenge. He felt he had mastered the steps to success in WRC and craved the process of learning an entirely new skill set.
• Toyota's Crucial Role: The manufacturer he has raced for since 2020 is fully backing his single-seater program. Rovanperä emphasized that when Toyota realized he was "serious" and "ready to throw everything at it," they got excited and assembled a major program to facilitate the switch.
• Building Experience: His circuit racing groundwork includes winning three races in the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, drifting series, endurance races like the Dubai 24 Hours, and even a run in a 2012 Red Bull F1 car.
• Strategic Timing: At 25, Rovanperä believes now is the "correct time" to make the switch. He is young enough to build a proper program but acknowledges he is not a junior formula youngster. He wanted to avoid attempting a switch later in his career, referencing others who tried in their 30s without the foundational steps.

What's next:

Rovanperä's path is now clearly mapped out with Toyota's support.

• His 2025 season will be spent in Japan's competitive Super Formula championship.
• This follows a preparatory stint in the Formula Regional Oceania Trophy with the Toyota Gazoo Racing-linked Hitech GP team to gain experience and begin accumulating FIA Super Licence points.
• The plan is to progress to Formula 2 in 2027, a car he has already tested, most likely again with Hitech TGR.
• While open to future work with Red Bull, his immediate focus and backing are squarely with the Toyota program designed to give him a "real chance" to succeed in single-seaters.