The contenders seeking to take Rovanpera's WRC crown

When Kalle Rovanpera takes to the start of the Monte Carlo Rally's first stage later this evening, he will do so in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 that carries the same number 69 he has used since he arrived at rallying's pinnacle in 2020. But even though he's elected not to use the number one that is his exclusive privilege to carry as the reigning champion, the Finn will still be the man that everybody is wanting to beat.

His tally of six wins from 2022 means it will take a brave individual to bet against Rovanpera, but he recognises that the stakes have shifted somewhat this year. Make no mistake, he's not counting his chickens. And nor is Toyota team boss Jari-Matti Latvala.

“I think 2023 is already giving us some goosebumps because generally it looks like every team has a winning driver and every team is able to win,” he says, “We also know that it is going to be harder and more challenging for us. I like the challenge and we want to go out here and really fight for the victories. We know we have the team and the car, but we just need to get working.”

PLUS: Why Rovanpera is anticipating a fight to defend his WRC title

But just who could be in a position to deny him a title double?

Ott Tanak, M-Sport

Back at M-Sport for the first time since 2017, can 2022 runner-up Tanak challenge for his second world title?

Photo by: M-Sport

WRC starts: 136
Wins: 17 (2019 champion)
Podiums: 42
Stage wins: 327

Had Hyundai’s package been as good at the start of 2022 as it was at the end of the campaign, then Ott Tanak could have given Kalle Rovanpera a much closer run to the title. In the second half of the season, he outscored the Finn thanks to a consistent run of results that included two wins among six podiums from the final seven events. The 2019 world champion remains a force to be reckoned with and is tipped among the favourites to challenge for this year’s championship, despite a switch to M-Sport following the breakdown of his three-year relationship with Hyundai.

Tanak faced an uncertain future when he dropped the bombshell that he would be leaving Hyundai, but after months of talks his move to M-Sport was secured, returning him to the team with which he claimed his first WRC podium in 2012 and victory in 2017. That has provided the Cumbrian squad with a real shot in the arm. While the Estonian admits that a title tilt will be a big challenge as he adapts to the Ford Puma, the motive for moving to M-Sport for 2023 is clear.

“Since becoming a world champion I have not been able to defend the title, and I will not be able to make peace with myself until I do,” he states. “I have had many discussions with Malcolm [Wilson, team owner] and we share the same ambition for the upcoming season. It’s going to be a big challenge for us, but I know the people at Dovenby Hall, I know what they are capable of and with their passion to give everything they have, we can challenge for the championship.”

Thierry Neuville, Hyundai

Neuville will enter the year high on confidence after winning last year's finale in Japan

Photo by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport

WRC starts: 142
Wins: 17
Podiums: 55
Stage wins: 325

Five-time WRC runner-up Thierry Neuville is expected to lead Hyundai’s charge now that Ott Tanak has swapped Alzenau for Dovenby Hall. The Belgian has played a perennial WRC bridesmaid role over the years, but remains one of the championship’s brightest talents. Last season his title hopes were dented by Hyundai’s problematic birth of the i20 N that left the car unreliable and lacking development in the first half of the year.

Once Hyundai managed to hone its i20 N, results arrived and Neuville scored victories on the Acropolis and in the season-ending asphalt round in Japan. Over the off-season, the team has carried out further development on its challenger, focusing on improving the car’s aero courtesy of a new nose that acts as a splitter, front arches, wing mirrors and rear spoiler. Neuville is expecting an intense fight for the 2023 title.

“We saw at the end of last year in Japan that we were stronger than the Toyota,” he recounts. “In Spain we were missing a little bit and in Greece we were much stronger. The performance was better in the second half of the season compared to the first. At times last year we were far off our competitors, but this year it should be an equal race and a more equal fight.

“It should be easier to keep up with the title contenders that’s for sure, but it won’t make it easier to fight for the title. It won’t be an easy challenge just because we have managed to put some things right in our company and on our car. The fight will be tight and maybe even tighter than what we have seen in the past, but it’s going to be exciting to follow.”

The team has boosted its leadership department with confirmation of a new team principal in the form of Cyril Abiteboul, who takes over from former de facto leader Julien Moncet. Neuville believes that this addition is as important as the i20 N’s development.

“We were fighting to get a strong leader for the first part of last season, to get a good team spirit again and to keep the team together and pushing in the right direction,” says Neuville. “Myself and Ott pushed for this very hard but it took far too long.”

Elfyn Evans, Toyota

Evans was out of luck too often last year and will be aiming to recapture his best form from 2020 and 2021 when he ran Ogier close

Photo by: Toyota Racing

WRC starts: 118
Wins: 5
Podiums: 23
Stage wins: 132

Toyota regular Elfyn Evans is hungrier than ever for a title challenge after a 2022 campaign that by his own admission fell well short of expectations. He was tipped to be in the thick of the fight last year after finishing runner-up to champion and Toyota team-mate Sebastien Ogier in 2020 and 2021, prior to the eight-time king moving to a part-time programme.

But Evans struggled to adapt to the new hybrid Rally1 GR Yaris as quickly as Rovanpera, who edged the Welshman into second place on three of his six wins. Evans ended the season without a victory for the first time since 2019, but provided glimpses that he had finally gelled with the car.

“Of course we never know but, judging by the two seasons prior, last year I fell quite short in terms of our expectation,” admits Evans. “We did make some progress towards the end of the year, but let’s say the results were missing to a point, so of course we’re hoping to try and put better results together this year.

“It’s always difficult to change [your driving style] in a short space of time, but of course we’re working a bit with the car to get it to suit me better, and I’m trying to adapt my style to get the most out of the car as well. We definitely hope we are moving in the right direction on both fronts. I have a great team around me and it’s clear that we already had the tools to achieve it last year when you look at Kalle’s results, but of course things didn’t go so well for us.

“Obviously being 12 months into the new car we understand things a lot better and of course the championship is the goal and I feel we are in a better position to challenge.”

Esapekka Lappi, Hyundai

Lappi has a full time seat for the first time since 2020 and is determined to make good use of it at Hyundai

Photo by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport

WRC starts: 72
Wins: 1
Podiums: 10
Stage wins: 57

Now back in a full-time manufacturer seat for the first time since 2019, Esapekka Lappi could steal in to pose a title threat with Hyundai. His return to form was one of the feelgood stories of last year – the Finn grabbed a career lifeline thrown by Toyota and guided the third GR Yaris to three podiums in seven events, helping secure the manufacturers’ title.

After slipping out of the WRC’s top tier at the end of 2020, the one-time rally winner (Finland 2017) has now found himself elevated back into one of the WRC’s plum seats thanks to Ott Tanak’s Hyundai departure.

“It’s been crazy to go from not having a drive and then suddenly I’m a full-time driver again,” offers Lappi. “I can say that I was lucky that Mr Tanak was leaving so there was a space free, and then from Hyundai’s point of view I was the best driver available so I was lucky in terms of that. But it also shows that we did something good last year to prove that we can do this still.”

Although he’s in one the best seats, Lappi has downplayed suggestions he could find himself in the title fight.

“I think it would sound stupid if I said we would win the title,” he adds. “I need to see in the first race how we go and forgive myself if we are not in the top five. Then the results need to come. Hunting for my second victory is one of the biggest targets, and also I want to help the team. As we are scoring for the manufacturer we need to keep that in mind as well.”

Lappi has been impressed by the Hyundai: “We have seen that Hyundai caught up a lot of performance compared to Toyota, and maybe at some races they were better than Toyota. I think we are starting on a pretty equal level.”

Lappi believes Hyundai is now on a par with Toyota - has he backed the right horse?

Photo by: Austral / Hyundai Motorsport