Kalle Rovanpera, the two‑time world rally champion, marked his first WRC appearance this season by attending Rally Estonia’s ceremonial start after a medical clearance allowed him to resume driving.
Kalle Rovanpera returns to Rally Estonia
Passing through Tartu, the 25‑year‑old Finn seized the chance to witness Friday’s shakedown, an unplanned visit that made it his first WRC event since the 2023 Rally Saudi Arabia finale. He noted that seeing the teams again was “quite interesting and obviously nice.”
Estonia has long been a favourite, hosting Rovanpera’s first WRC victory in 2021—making him the youngest winner in the championship’s history—and subsequent stage‑winning runs in 2022 and 2023, including a 13‑stage win streak that season.
During the break, the Finn kept tabs on the WRC line‑up and offered mentorship to friend Takamoto Katsuta, the former Toyota teammate. While his planned Super Formula campaign in Japan was postponed due to the medical issue, Rovanpera remained engaged with the rally community.
Road to a 2027 comeback
Toyota confirmed that Rovanpera had resumed physical training and could now map a “phased return to driving,” targeting competitive racing in 2027. Last month, he piloted a Toyota GR Supra drift car, signalling a shift to the circuit track.
“I’m declared fit again to drive, so that is nice, and I’m slowly getting back to everything. I don’t know what the next plans are, but something interesting for sure,” he said, reflecting on winter training sessions and an uncertain future.
With medicine cleared, a return to the gravel remains a possibility, yet Rovanpera’s intention to gauge his pace in 2027 marks the next phase in a career that has spanned both rally and circuit arenas.
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