The team principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, Jari-Matti Latvala, says that his team wants Kalle Rovanpera to remain at their squad in 2024 and believes that the rumor about his departure is a summer story about the silly season.
DirtFish unveiled yesterday that Rovanpera's manager, Timo Jouhki, is in talks with Hyundai Motorsport for his joining the Alzenau-based team in 2024. Accoring to this source, there are still discussions between him and Toyota as his contract is set to expire at the end of this season.
Kalle Rovanpera tested the Yaris for the first time when he was 15 years old and the long-term agreement between him and Tommi Makinen permitted him to compete with Skoda Motorsport in WRC2 class for two years claiming the WRC2 Pro title in 2019. After one year, he made his debut with Toyota at the top level and his first WRC victory came at Rally Estonia in 2021. Since his first appearance in World Rally Championship, the Finn star has finished seven times on the podium positions and has won nine WRC events so far in his career while he became the youngest WRC Champion in the history as he took his first WRC title at the age of 22 years and one day old.
"When we are coming to the summer, it’s normal that we start to see the stories coming about driver contracts", Latvala said.
"It’s coming to halfway through the season so this is, let’s say, almost a normal situation.
"You know, we feel we really have the complete package with Kalle.
"And we feel it’s the same for him.
"This is his home team, we are very much in the same spirit coming from this part of Finland.
"It’s about the Toyota family.
"We love to see Kalle’s enthusiasm for everything he does with Toyota, whether it’s winning the world championship or driving a GR Corolla drift car.
"He is part of the family and we’re very committed to keeping it that way".
Source: DirtFish.com
Photo Credits: Toyota
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