Rovanpera hopes track racing exploits will help return to WRC in 2025

Kalle Rovanpera says he learned “a lot of things” in 2024 and hopes his recent track racing skills will help him compete within the asphalt World Rally Championship in 2025.

The two-time world rally champion will make a everlasting return to the WRC in 2025, after a yr through which he expanded his motorsport horizons by combining a circuit racing program with a partial WRC campaign.

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In addition to winning 4 of the seven WRC rounds began for Toyota this yr, Rovanpera made his track racing debut within the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux series. After winning races at Imola, Red Bull Ring and Zolder, the Finn took fourth place within the championship.

Watch: Autosport magazine's rating of the 50 best drivers of 2024 – 40 to 31

Rovanpera's track racing exploits also included appearances within the Porsche Carrera Cup in Italy, while in November he tested the older generation Red Bull Formula 1 automobile on the Red Bull Ring.

Earlier this week, he announced plans to begin the 2025 season with an appearance within the 24 Hours of Dubai before the WRC season opener in Monte Carlo (January 23-26).

Rovanpera believes that his yr spent on the track has paid off by way of honing his skills that could be utilized in rallies.

“I learned a lot about myself and what I enjoy and what I want to do in life,” Rovanpera told Motorsport.

“Of course, I also learned as a driver at track races. I think there were a lot of positive things there.”

Rovanpera ran out of the Red Bull F1 automobile

Asked whether he thought the acquired skills could help him in asphalt rallies, he added: “At least I hope so. It all the time is determined by what your conditions are.

“If it's dirty, there's lots of cuts and stuff like that, it's not like racing on a track, but when we’ve got some super clean rallies like within the Canary Islands, hopefully that may help me keep feeling good there. “

Earlier this month, Rovanpera returned to the tarmac, driving a 2025-spec GR Yaris Rally1 on the Rallye National Hivernal du Devoluy. The Finn finished the 10-stage rally in second place, behind Adrien Fourmaux, who had purchased a brand new Hyundai.

The rally allowed Rovanpera precious mileage on the brand new 2025 Hankook tires, which were fitted to the non-hybrid version of his 2025 Toyota.

“It was quite good, we had good conditions for the test rally,” he added.

“We also tested the brand new Hankook tires and overall I'd say it was a reasonably good weekend. We received lots of vital information for next yr.

“You can definitely feel the difference in weight [without hybrid power] what is most positive about it. It's lighter, so it's nicer to drive.”