Confirmed
Kalle Rovanperä returns for Rally Finland demonstration
Finnish rally driver Kalle Rovanperä will participate in demonstration runs at Rally Finland, driving a Toyota Corolla GT AE86.
Two-time World Rally Champion Kalle Rovanperä will participate in demonstration runs at Rally Finland this week, marking his return to a rally car after stepping away from full-time competition in the World Rally Championship following the 2025 season. The Finnish driver, a prominent figure in global rallying, will be joined by his long-time co-driver Jonne Halttunen for the appearances.
Harju Stage Demonstrations
Rovanperä and Halttunen will pilot Halttunen’s personal Toyota Corolla GT AE86 through the iconic Harju stage of Rally Finland. These demonstration runs are scheduled for both Thursday and Friday of the event. Rally Finland holds particular significance for the duo, as they secured victory in the 2025 edition of the rally while driving a factory Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, marking their final win in the series for the foreseeable future. According to a statement released by Rally Finland and reported by Autosport, “Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen are returning to the legendary Harju Stage! They’ll take Jonne’s Toyota Corolla GT AE86 through the stage on both Thursday and Friday.”
On Thursday, the 25-year-old Rovanperä will drive the car through the World Rally Championship event’s opening stage. He will then switch roles, moving into the co-driving seat on Friday while Halttunen takes the wheel. This arrangement provides an opportunity for both to engage with fans and the sport without the pressures of competitive rallying.
Return to Driving Activities
Rovanperä’s appearance at Rally Finland follows a recent visit to Rally Estonia two weeks prior, where he attended the event while on holiday in the region. This marked his first visit to a World Rally Championship event since concluding his full-time commitment to the series in 2025, having indicated a desire to pursue circuit racing opportunities for 2026. Although a medical issue forced the 25-year-old to postpone his initial plans to contest the Super Formula season in Japan this year, he has maintained a close interest in the WRC, even acting as a mentor to his close friend and former Toyota team-mate Takamoto Katsuta, who currently holds third in the WRC driver standings with 160 points.
Toyota Gazoo Racing announced last month that Rovanperä had resumed physical training and was deemed fit to plan a “phased return to driving,” as reported by Motorsport.com. The primary objective for the Finnish talent is a competitive racing return in 2027. Last month, Rovanperä was also seen driving his Toyota GR Supra drift car, indicating a gradual re-engagement with motorsport activities. He remarked, according to Autosport, that he was “declared fit again to drive,” expressing anticipation for future endeavors.
Finnish Motorsport Landscape
Rovanperä’s participation at Rally Finland underscores the strong presence of Finnish talent in international motorsport. While he currently holds no points in the F1 drivers' championship, unlike his compatriot Valtteri Bottas who has 0 points, Rovanperä's rally achievements are significant. His involvement in these demonstration runs offers a chance for Finnish fans to see their national hero back in action at a premier home event, even outside of direct competition. The World Rally Championship standings currently show Elfyn Evans leading with 201 points, followed by another Finnish driver, Teemu Suninen, with 171 points, and Katsuta. Four rounds of the WRC season remain, with Esapekka Lappi holding 25 points.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Confirmed, which means the people involved have said this on the record. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Aino Virtanen.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- Autosportautosport.com
- Motorsport.commotorsport.com
