Why WRC champion Rovanpera is taking a radical step into the unknown

“If Kalle cannot do it, then nobody can.”

That’s a ringing endorsement from one of Kalle Rovanpera’s inner circle as the two-time World Rally champion prepares for a groundbreaking switch from rallying to single-seater racing – with Formula 1 the ultimate aim.

Those words are from Rovanpera’s Toyota WRC team-mate and close friend Takamoto Katsuta, a driver who has some idea of the world Rovanpera is about to enter. Katsuta grew up in Japan with the dream of reaching F1, climbing the karting and single-seater ranks, and finishing runner-up in the 2013 Japanese Formula 3 Championship.

But that dream came to a premature end. It was replaced by an all-encompassing challenge of transforming into a rally driver competing in the WRC for Toyota, culminating in more than a half-century of stage wins and multiple podium finishes at the highest level.

It was a move that led Katsuta to cross paths with Rovanpera and has generated a strong friendship during events and away from the crucible of competition, when the pair are often in each other’s company.

Since the pair first met a decade ago, when a fresh-faced 14-year-old Rovanpera was rallying in Latvia, the Finn has been an inspiration and a confidante to Katsuta. Over the ensuing years, Rovanpera has been more than happy to help the Japanese adjust to the rally world. Now it appears that the favour will be returned as Rovanpera prepares to live out Katsuta’s dream.

“My dream was of course F1 or racing in a top category in circuit racing until I came to rallying,” explains Katsuta. “Now it feels like Kalle is able to carry on my dream. I’m supporting him, and of course I feel sad a bit as I will miss him, but at the same time I’m very happy that he will do a new challenge. It’s really cool. It feels very special.

“Driving skills, I have not doubt in Kalle, he is definitely a special talent. When I saw him for the first time he was 14 and I had just started rallying and I was shocked by how good he was. We have shared many moments and nice memories.

“Of course, we are competing and we are always trying to get the best results, but still we are having fun, and sometimes doing stupid things. He is a real friend.”

Rovanpera has aided his friend Katsuta’s switch from circuit to special stage

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Circuit racers such as Katsuta making the switch to rallying is not wholly unusual. 2007 F1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen, double world champion Fernando Alonso and 2008 Hungarian Grand Prix winner Heikki Kovalainen are among this limited group.

Kovalainen has even found success in the discipline, becoming a three-time champion in Japan’s national rally championship. Alonso showed his speed to finish 13th at the notorious Dakar Rally in 2020, while a fifth at Rally Turkey in 2010 was Raikkonen’s best WRC result.

But the route from rallying to high-level single-seater racing is a move into less charted waters. Rally drivers including Colin McRae and Sebastien Ogier have driven F1 cars in one-off tests, while nine-time world champion Sebastien Loeb has come the closest after impressing in an official post-season Barcelona test with Red Bull in 2008, logging the eighth fastest time among 17 runners.

Loeb was even in the running to replace Sebastien Bourdais at Red Bull’s sister team Toro Rosso the following year.

Rovanpera has shown maturity beyond his years to become the WRC’s youngest ever podium finisher, rally winner, world champion and double world champion

Rovanpera is trying to go one step further after calling time on his WRC career at the end of this season. Next year, he will leave behind the ‘comfort’ of gravel, asphalt and snow stages to compete on the Japanese circuits – including the famous Fuji and Suzuka – in Super Formula, with the aim of making the transition to Formula 2 in 2027. The plan is bold but has the backing from Toyota.

The goal in Rovanpera’s own words is to reach the “highest level possible”, with the 25-year-old inspired by the challenge of achieving something truly remarkable.

Rovanpera has shown maturity beyond his years to become the WRC’s youngest ever podium finisher, rally winner, world champion and double world champion. But this next chapter of his career will be perhaps his toughest.

Rovanpera is under no illusions regarding what lies ahead. Prior to a test in an F2 car at Jerez in October, his only experience in formula cars came during a promotional day at the Red Bull Ring last year where he drove Formula 4 and Formula Renault 3.5 machinery, before jumping into a Red Bull RB8 F1 car – a moment that helped to solidify his career direction.

Sampling single-seaters at Red Bull promo day proved a pivotal moment for the Finn

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Apart from that, Rovanpera’s circuit racing career is limited to a campaign last year in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, in which he won three races, plus an outing in the Italian series.

He may be about to embark upon a voyage into the unknown, but Rovanpera won’t be doing it without the support of Katsuta, who is well placed to explain the challenges. “I’ve been talking about this transition a lot with Taka already from one year ago when I started to think about it,” says Rovanpera.

“Obviously he has been supporting me a lot. He always tries to come when it’s the first time in a car for me just to support me, and tell me all the tips from the track. It will be good.

“I will be starting basically from zero, so I will be far away at the beginning. I know it and have prepared mentally that I will get my ass kicked for sure at the beginning, and that is how it should be. If it’s not like this then it will be a bit weird. That is the challenge I like. I like to push myself from zero and learn some new skills.”

“It’s driving a car but it’s totally different, racing compared to rallying,” points out Katsuta. “One thing I found out, my brain works totally different when driving a rally car compared to a racing car. Your eyes are working differently and you have to listen to the pacenotes and concentrate.

“Of course, in racing you are driving to the limit and you have someone trying to overtake you. The most difficult thing is you have to push on the limit. It is down to thousandths of a second and such a small amount of time you have to take from every single corner. That is also very different and difficult. For sure, Kalle can drive, but this sort of feeling will be a bit different.

“In F1 and Super Formula you have only one lap where there is maximum tyre grip. You have one lap to warm up and then straight away you are flat-out. You never know how much grip you have, so that you get with experience.

“There are skills to feel the maximum grip and the car potential, so he will need time to adapt to that. But we know the way he adapts is so quick, and I’m sure he can do that well.”

Katsuta, here in his home F3 series in 2013, has lots of advice to offer Rovanpera on life in Japan

Photo by: Yasushi Ishihara / LAT Images via Getty Images

While Katsuta didn’t reach the heights of Super Formula, his knowledge of Japanese circuits and his connections could prove valuable. But the 32-year-old doesn’t see himself as tutor for his friend, who he believes will quickly adjust to life on the race tracks.

“Some of the tracks, yes I can offer advice, but at the same time I don’t want to confuse him as I have never driven in Super Formula, and nowadays the car is totally different and tyres are different to what I was driving in F3,” relates Katsuta.

“What I’m trying to do is see if I can help somehow. I will ask my friends to give him advice. For example, Ryo Hirakawa was competing in Super Formula and was very quick. He can probably help a bit, and at the same time nowadays the simulator is very realistic and useful.

“These kinds of things I can do and give the information. I’m not really teaching. He is going racing and straight away I believe he is going to be better than me.”

But when it comes to tips on living in Japan, or the drifting scene, of which Rovanpera is a huge admirer, Katsuta will most definitely be a fount of knowledge. “Maybe this is more easy to do,” smiles Katsuta.

“I will give him all the tips about life in Japan. At the same time I want to come and spectate at some of his races if it matches my schedule.”

There is no hiding away from the monumental yet fascinating challenge that lies ahead of Rovanpera, but Katsuta is convinced that his friend is the one to achieve it: “You never know the future, but I think there will be nobody else that can do this kind of move. If this turns into a success, then probably Kalle is the only one who can do it.”

This article is one of many in the monthly Autosport magazine. For more premium content, take a look at the December 2025 issue and subscribe today.