Kalle Rovanperä finally launched his single-seater adventure: "An excellent place to learn"

Kalle Rovanperä, why this choice to go towards the car in this 2026 season?

I wanted to take on a new challenge. It's certainly the biggest challenge you can set for yourself as a pilot. rally (Laughs)! It completely changes the driving style; it's not the same sport. You really have to adapt everything you do behind the wheel. But for example, I enjoyed driving in Porsche Carrera Cup in 2024. The opportunity came from Toyotawhich allowed me to make the transition as smoothly as possible.

Before winning your titles in WRCWere you already the type to want to take on this kind of challenge?

No, the only goal I ever set for myself was to one day become a rally driver. Then, when you turn professional, you quickly want to become world champion. I managed to achieve that goal when I was still young, twice. After that, I started to feel the need to do something else in motorsport.

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Some pilots like Lando Norris (2016) and Arvid Lindblad (2025) won this championship right here (Oceania Regional Formula). Is that what attracted you here?

The timing was perfect. This championship is popular, and there are some great drivers on the grid. This year, I think it's the strongest grid the championship has ever seen. There are a lot of drivers who are used to European formulas and have driven similar cars for many years. It's a great place to learn.