Rivals Gear Up for World Rally Championship Title as Rovanpera Takes a Break

Paris (AFP) – The World Rally Championship (WRC) is set to kick off its season with the Monte Carlo event, but this time without reigning champion Kalle Rovanpera. The Finnish driver, who secured his second consecutive world title for Toyota last year at the age of 23, has decided to follow the lead of his teammate Sebastien Ogier and race part-time.

Rovanpera expressed his decision by saying, “It’s a little bit like catching up with your youth, doing things you missed out on when you were younger.” Focusing on personal pursuits outside of motorsport, he plans to take the year to travel and visit places he has always wanted to go.

Toyota, dominating the top category for the past three seasons, will continue its participation with four cars, including Elfyn Evans, last year’s runner-up, and Takamoto Katsuta. The team will also retain Ogier, an eight-time champion who drove in eight rallies last season along with Rovanpera.

Ogier, who secured a record-breaking ninth victory at Monte Carlo last year, is determined to win his 10th title at the event, which holds deep significance for him as the organizers have moved the race headquarters back to Gap, his hometown.

With Rovanpera absent, the path seems clear for Evans to challenge for his first WRC title. Having finished as the runner-up in three of the last four seasons, the Welsh driver sees the move of Monte Carlo north as an opportunity to face wintery conditions, which could add to the challenge.

Ford has promoted Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux and Belgian-Luxembourger Gregoire Munster from the second-tier WRC2. Ford team principal Richard Millener expressed confidence in their preparation for the demanding Monte Carlo event despite its notorious difficulty.

Former champion Ott Tanak has made a switch back to Hyundai, a team still in pursuit of their first drivers’ world title. They have also welcomed Finn Andreas Mikkelsen from WRC2 alongside Belgian Thierry Neuville, a five-time title runner-up. Additionally, Hyundai retained Esapekka Lappi, although with only three cars, Lappi may face a challenge in securing starts.

Looking ahead, the WRC calendar remains at 13 rallies, but there are potential additions such as Saudi Arabia and the United States for the 2025 season. Poland and Latvia join the calendar, while Mexico and Estonia are dropped. The Kenyan Rally returns to its traditional Easter slot.

To prevent drivers from conserving tires for the closing power stage, which offers a winner’s bonus, the organizers have implemented scoring rule adjustments that separate the Sunday morning stages for cars completing the race.

As the WRC embarks on its search for a new champion, the absence of Rovanpera sets the stage for an exciting battle and a chance for contenders like Evans to seize the opportunity and chase the coveted title.