Kalle Rovanpera, a double world rally champion from Finland, is taking a break next season after signing a multi-year agreement with Toyota. At the age of 22, he became the youngest world rally champion and won another crown this season. In a statement on Monday, Rovanpera stated that he will only be participating in some events next year due to the demanding mental and physical nature of driving rally cars for 15 years. He expressed that this is the perfect time to recharge and come back stronger to fight for the championship again.

During his break, Rovanpera plans to try out drifting and other forms of motorsport. Meanwhile, Sebastien Ogier, an eight-time world champion from France, will continue part-time with Toyota. The full-time drivers for 2024 are Welshman Elfyn Evans and Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta. Evans has finished as a runner-up three times in the last four years and is determined to improve upon his progress and achieve even greater success in the upcoming season. This news was reported by Alan Baldwin in London and edited by Ken Ferris.