At the beginning of October, Kalle Rovanperä got to experience what it’s like to be a rally world champion.
Kalle Rovanperä is relieved that he no longer has to search for the result with gritted teeth. ZUMAWIRE / MVPHOTOS
Kalle Rovanperän the first World Championship title of his career was sealed in the New Zealand World Rally Championship held at the beginning of October.
The Toyota driver has not had much time to celebrate his championship, which he achieved as the youngest driver in the history of the World Series by far, at the age of 22.
– There was one weekend free after the tests in Spain, but even then there were quite a lot of time differences because there was no time to rest in between. We spent the weekend chilling with a friend, there was nothing else to do. I’ll have to celebrate with my family and friends later, Rovanperä said before the Catalan World Rally Championship starting on Friday.
A treat for the public
After a little relaxation, Rovanperä got back behind the wheel of a rally car already last weekend, when he participated in the Rallylegend event in San Marino.
There was also a Toyota down there, albeit the team manager Jari-Matti Latvala an older generation Celica, with which Rovanperä also showed his drifting skills to a huge audience.
The recent world champion caused quite a bit of a circus at the event, when all the enthusiastic rally fans wanted to see Toyota’s Finnish star.
– There was a lot of trouble there all the time. There was no need to leave the service truck alone. On his own, he couldn’t manage in the service park, and he couldn’t move properly, Rovanperä described.
– It’s really cool that the fans are there and we ride for them. It was a good feeling when we pulled the “brief” and the fans liked it. Then it’s nice for you too.
Goals
Rovanperä and Toyota still have a small stake in the World Rally Championship, as the manufacturers’ championship is undecided. However, Toyota has such a strong grip on the title that the double championship can be decided already at the weekend’s Catalunya rally, if the team’s drivers complete the race with honor.
In any case, Rovanperä can now take it a little more relaxed, since you don’t have to look for the result with your teeth gritted.
– Of course, there is a slightly different feeling now. You just have to try to enjoy it. The team championship is still to be won and you have to work hard for it, Rovanperä planned.
In the past, the Catalan asphalt race has been challenging for Finnish drivers. Only Tommi Mäkinen from our country has managed to win the race in 1997.
Rovanpera would like a victory in a competition that is falling from the World Championship calendar after this year.
– Let’s try to do our best this weekend and see what it’s enough for, Rovanperä said clichédly.
– It’s hard to know the power ratios, because now is the first proper asphalt rally with these cars. Now you don’t really know what speed is enough and how the car fits in your hand. In the tests, we changed the car a lot and it felt better.
The Catalunya World Cup Rally gets into full swing on Friday.