THE “Max Verstappen of rallying” has sensationally said he is quitting the series as he takes his first steps towards Formula One.
Kalle Rovanpera, a double World Rally champion, revealed he will be making a stunning switch to single-seater racing.
Kalle Rovanpera has announced plans to race in single-seater cars as his first steps towards F1
Rovanpera is a two-time rally champion and the youngest champion in WRC history
The 25-year-old – the son of 2001 Rally winner and long-time factory WRC driver Harri Rovanpera – will kick-start this dramatic change in ‘s Super Formula next year after six years in WRC.
Rovanpera’s employer, , have endorsed the bold move which is seeing him target “the highest levels of circuit racing”.
He said: “This decision has not been an easy one, but itʼs one that I have been thinking about for a while.
“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.”
Having been given a WRC drive by Toyota at the age of 19 he toppled record after record by becoming the championship’s youngest-ever podium finisher, youngest-ever rally winner and then youngest-ever world champion the day after his 22nd birthday.
The Finn made his circuit racing debut last year, competing in the Carrera Cup Benelux and series, winning three races in the Benelux series.
He has also sampled life in an older generation car in 2023 and drove around the Red Bull Ring in Formula 4 and Formula 3.5 machinery.
The plan will be for Rovanpera to eventually move into F2, the immediate feeder series to F1, after competing in Super Formula.
While he has not explicitly stated F1 to be his ultimate goal, he has made it clear he plans to “go all the way”.
He told DirtFish : “Time is definitely ticking out all the time but it’s still on my side and that’s the reason why the decision had to be made now.
“Obviously really big thanks goes to Toyota who wanted to be on my side on this, because obviously this kind of plan and project wouldn’t even be possible without manufacturer backing.
“Like you know, also in circuit racing, all the young drivers have all these manufacturers backing them.
“And yeah, having Toyota trust me and trusting this project is definitely the biggest and let’s say coolest part of it all. So yeah, we are definitely aiming really high.”
If Rovanpera completes the move to F1, he would become the first WRC champion to complete the switch across the motorsports in this direction.
Many F1 drivers have made the switch in the other direction, including former world champion , ex-Renault star Robert Kubica and ‘s former team-mate Heikki Kovalainen.
Rovanpera continued: “It all depends on how everything goes and we definitely set our goals on the highest level and we will work towards it and see what we get out from it.
“Because, like you know, in life and especially motorsport, you never know what’s coming. You need to be in the right place at the right time and many things need to go your way.
“But yeah, we definitely have time on my side still. I’m only 25 and when we start to work on it now, which is the plan, we definitely aim to go all the way.”
Rovanpera – who is also a Red Bull athlete – remains in the hunt for a third rally championship with just three races to go, sitting 21 points behind championship leader and Toyota team-mate Sebastien Ogier.
Comparisons to Verstappen make perfect sense, given the four-time world champion’s father was also an F1 star before him and he is the youngest driver to score points, a podium and a race win.
Before the , British F1 star to beat because he was “born into F1”.
