Kalle Rovanperä speaks enthusiastically about the new season.
Kalle Rovanperä is excited to go for the third world championship of his career. PDO
The Rally World Series starts in less than two weeks, when the 93rd Monte Carlo Rally starts with the Route de la Garden shakedown.
When last year only the Finns who drove in the small class took part in the classic race Sami Pajarithis time there are also two domestic teams at the Rally1 level.
Kalle Rovanperä returns from his own personal sabbatical to a full World Series.
– The idea last year was to gain new energy and now at least I would feel like I was in a good mood. We will certainly go Where (map reader Possessed) with both of them with new enthusiasm for a full season, Rovanperä told Iltalehte.
Toyota also hired Pajar to the dealership for this season. Now the young Lahti resident can get to the already familiar mountain roads of the Meri-Alpes with a little more experience.
– It is a very positive thing that another young Finnish driver will reach the highest level. Yes, Finnish flags are always needed there, Rovanperä continued.
– It’s great to see that Sami gets to drive a full season with us. He is a good addition to our team.
Not my favorite
Amazingly, Rovanperä has never won in Monte Carlo or the Finnish World Rally Championship. This year, he definitely wants to correct at least one of these “deficiencies”.
In 2023, he was at the finish line in 18.7 seconds Sébastien Ogier followed by Monte as second.
– This is one of the more special competitions on the calendar, and it is not a favorite event for me. It has been driven a couple of times with a very good result.
– Now I’m just trying to get a good start to the season: good points and an intact race.
Rovanperä was second in the 2023 Monte Carlo Rally. PDO
No less than 343 special test kilometers have been crammed into this year’s Monte Carlo. The classic section of the Col de Turin will once again serve as the rally’s Power Stage.
Rally people are pleased to know that the historic special stage has gained a little more dimension (17.9 kilometers in total), although it still does not extend all the way to the Les Trois Vallées hotel.
Rovanperä doesn’t have time to admire the scenery. He has a lot of work to learn Toyota’s behavior now that hybrid energy is no longer available in cars.
– There is quite a lot to test when you have those new tires from Hankook. They still have a lot to develop and, of course, also adaptation in their own driving, so that we can all play well together. There has been quite a big change.
– At Monte, whoever learns the new lighter car and new tires the fastest and drives flawlessly will definitely get a good result.
As chasers again
The Finns are starting the trip as challengers for a long time. The name of the reigning world champion is Thierry Neuville.
– Of course he is now the one everyone is chasing. We had that role for a couple of years, but now we get to be chasers again. It’s quite nice this way.
Walter Röhrl (left) admired the ascent of the Col de Turin already in the 1984 World Rally Championship. PDO
However, Rovanperä is naturally again the biggest favorite for the championship. Last year, the title did not come, because the Finn himself did not apply for it.
– Thierry, Elf (Evans) and Ott (Thank you) are definitely in the championship race. Then any of those full-season drivers can come from there.
There will also be a slight change in the leadership of Toyota’s rally team, who is driving his own history series Jari-Matti from Latvala always needs someone to help with his bread work.
An old warrior Juha Kankkunen has promised to boss Latvala during the rush.
– It’s great to have Juha as team manager in a few races. I have been his biggest fan of these older drivers, Rovanperä smiled.
– Today we are good friends and it’s fun to see him at the games. I’m looking forward to getting to work together in rallies.
Juha Kankkunen will make his debut as team manager this season. PDO
Everything is ready. When the World Rally Championship 2025 starts on Wednesday, January 22, one Finn will surely be ready to return to the top.
– I hope the fans will see the number 69 car even faster than before, Rovanperä said.
– Of course, when we start fighting for the world championship again, we have to ride safely and steadily. You can’t be number one in every race, but the hope is to win as many as possible. Then the championship is also easier to achieve.