Defending champion of the Japanese rally series, Kovalainen will compete in 2024 in Japan with his familiar AICELLO team. In Japan, Kovalainen’s co-driver will be Sae Kitagawa.
On Sunday Toyota’s head Akio Toyoda confirmed that Kovalainen will be driving the manufacturer’s new car, GR Yaris Rally2 racer, this year. The car received its official classification from the FIA on January 1st. Kovalainen previously competed in Japan in a Skoda Fabia R5 car, so the upgrade is significant.
Additionally, at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2024 event, Toyoda announced that, in Japan’s premier rally class, alongside Kovalainen, Norihiko Katsuta and Fumio Nutahara will also compete with the new Toyota. Toyota’s boss also acquired one of the fresh Rally2 cars for himself.
It remains to be seen if Kovalainen will also make it to the World Rally Championship again. He has competed in Rally Japan twice and has often expressed interest in other asphalt competitions.
Last year, Kovalainen also competed in Finnish Rally Championships in addition to Japan’s rally series. However, his pace was not enough to compete against the top drivers on Finnish gravel, a surface less familiar to the former circuit racer.
At the opening event of the 2024 WRC season in Monte Carlo in less than two weeks. A total of four GR Yaris Rally2 cars will be seen there. Competing with Toyota’s new machine will be Sami Pajari, Jan Solans, Bryan Bouffier, and Stephane Lefebvre.
