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Rallying-Double world champion Rovanpera returns to WRC in expanded Toyota lineup

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Kalle Rovanpera will run a partial World Rally Championship schedule next season alongside nine-time champion Sebastien Ogier. Toyota is scaling up its presence to six drivers split evenly between two separate squads following its sixth consecutive championship victory. The Gazoo Racing Toyota outfit will field the GR Yaris with Rovanpera, Takamoto Katsuta, and returning 2019 titleholder Ott Tanak, while Toyota Racing introduces the Celica Rally1 car for Elfyn Evans, Oliver Solberg, and Sami Pajari.

Key points

  • Medical issues forced Kalle Rovanpera to pause his circuit racing ambitions and return to…: Medical issues forced Kalle Rovanpera to pause his circuit racing ambitions and return to rally competition.
  • Toyota is deploying an expanded six-driver lineup across two separate teams under an upda…: Toyota is deploying an expanded six-driver lineup across two separate teams under an updated regulatory era.
  • Returning 2019 champion Ott Tanak rejoins the Toyota organization after spending a single…: Returning 2019 champion Ott Tanak rejoins the Toyota organization after spending a single year away.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Rallying-Double world champion Rovanpera returns to WRC in expanded Toyota lineup

Nov 3 : Two-time champion Kalle Rovanpera will return to the world rally championship with Toyota next year after leaving in 2025 to try his hand at circuit racing, the Japanese manufacturer said on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old Finn will do a partial season, allowing other drivers including France's nine-times world champion Sebastien Ogier to compete in selected events.

"I’m enjoying having the chance to do some different things, but rallying has been a huge part of my life and I naturally started to miss the driving after a while," Rovanpera said in a statement.

• Rovanpera became the youngest world rally champion aged 22 in 2022 and left last year to explore other possibilities. Medical issues put his circuit racing plans on hold.

• He will be joined by Estonia's Ott Tanak, who was champion with Toyota in 2019 and is returning after a year out.

• Toyota will run two distinct teams, with two different cars and a total of six drivers in a new rules era.

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