Why Rovanpera is anticipating a fight to defend his WRC title

It seems that Kalle Rovanpera has barely been afforded an opportunity for his record-breaking 2022 World Rally Championship title to sink in before thoughts switch to trying for a second in 2023. Such is the fast-paced world of the WRC, where seasons are split by a matter of weeks rather than months, that teams have emerged from a brief winter hibernation to do battle again this weekend at the time-honoured Monte Carlo Rally curtain raiser.

A wild silly season triggered by Ott Tanak’s departure from Hyundai to M-Sport has resulted in Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport reshuffling their driver line-ups. Now that the music has stopped, the WRC could be set for one of its most tantalising title battles, with all three teams boasting world champions or rally winners.

It appears that 22-year-old Rovanpera, the WRC’s newest superstar and youngest ever champion, could face his toughest examination yet if he wishes to replicate his mesmerising 2022 run of six wins with Toyota. The Finn now has a target on his back as the one to beat, and is fully aware of the scale of the task ahead of him.

“Of course it’s going to be quite tricky to defend the championship,” he acknowledges. “I think definitely Hyundai is levelling up quite a lot during the end of the season last year, so they were catching up a lot. And now with Ott at M-Sport it will be interesting to see their pace and I think the competition will be higher all the time.”

A quick glance through the WRC history book shows that five drivers have won consecutive world titles. Nine-time champion Sebastien Loeb won all of his on the bounce from 2004-12. Sebastien Ogier picked up the baton to win six titles on the spin from 2013-18. In the 1990s, it was Tommi Makinen who ruled the roost, the Finn notching up four crowns from 1996-99. A decade earlier, it was Juha Kankkunen (1986-87) and Miki Biasion (1988-89).

Rovanpera is raring to go after an off-season that included a family skiing holiday in Lapland, and a title celebration event broadcast live on Finnish television in front of thousands of fans in the Toyota team’s home of Jyvaskyla.

Rovanpera heads into 2023 with the pressure to defend his WRC title

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

“The feeling is quite good before the new season,” he smiles. “Our championship celebration was really nice. It was a quite special feeling to do it in our home city with Jonne [Halttunen, co-driver], so that was a really cool thing to have. At that moment you felt the achievement quite well and you realise what you have done so it was a nice moment for sure.”

Now Rovanpera faces a rejuvenated Tanak, back at M-Sport where his WRC career began, and hungry to add a second title after a disappointing three-year spell at Hyundai. Five-time championship runner-up Thierry Neuville is set to lead Hyundai’s charge as he bids to finally break his WRC title duck. And then of course Rovanpera will face a fight from within his Toyota team in the form of two-time runner-up Elfyn Evans, eager to bounce back from a difficult 2022. There will also be opposition from Esapekka Lappi, Hyundai’s new signing from Toyota, while Ogier will offer a stern challenge in his partial campaign with Toyota, which begins in Monte Carlo.

"I think definitely Hyundai is levelling up quite a lot - and now with Ott [Tanak] at M-Sport it will be interesting to see their pace. I think the competition will be higher all the time” Kalle Rovanpera

The prospect of title contenders in all three teams has already whetted the appetite of Toyota WRC 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 points out. “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.”

Likewise, the unflappable Rovanpera believes that it could “be more difficult to defend the championship”.

“I think the biggest challenge will be just to try to step up our game also,” he adds. “We need to step up and try to continue to stay and push on the same consistent level. I don’t know if it [winning the title] helps a lot. Of course, it helps to know how everything happens and what it takes to win so in that sense it helps.”

Toyota's 2023 Yaris has a new aero package as it bids to retain the manufacturers' title

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Just as Rovanpera dominated the drivers’ championship, Toyota emerged as the package to beat in 2022, when it stormed to a sixth manufacturers’ title. For 2023 it has busily refined its GR Yaris, which now features an engine upgrade in addition to a new rear aero package, including a revised rear wing. According to Rovanpera, it already feels better than the 2022 car after one test.

“We have just had one test really so let’s see how the car will feel,” he says. “But the team has again done a good job trying to maximise the performance and make the car faster, so I’m hoping to have a faster and stronger car.”

One area Rovanpera is confident he can improve upon is his performance in Monte Carlo. Last year he found himself worryingly off the pace – behind WRC2 runners in his first competitive outing behind the wheel of the GR Yaris. Somehow, he channeled his anger into unlocking the secrets to driving Toyota’s new weapon and managed to salvage a fourth-place finish. Despite having the disadvantage of being first on the road this year, he has a much stronger mindset.

“Of course I’m more confident than last year starting the event in Monte Carlo,” he asserts. “At least I know we should be on the right direction with everything. Of course Monte Carlo is a special event and to be starting the event first on the road is always difficult and nervous. It’s not easy to have a clean race there but that is our plan.”

The term “clean race” is appropriate. Avoiding dramas, such as the rare crashes he suffered in Belgium and Greece last year, and reaching the finish at every event could carry much more significance in 2023, when the WRC appears set for a tighter championship fight.

But as Rovanpera proved last year through his stunning powerstage prowess and ability to destroy his opposition, he has more than enough party tricks up his sleeve to join the club of consecutive WRC title winners. The question is, can anyone stop him?

Can Rovanpera make it two WRC crowns in a row, or will he face sterner competition in 2023?

Photo by: Toyota Racing