In addition to his busy schedule with circuit racing, F1 tests, and business ventures, Rovanperä found time to film an impressive video in Japan with his sponsor, energy drink giant Red Bull. On Friday, Red Bull released a video on social media titled Rally Driver Vs Drift Mountain Challenge, which has already garnered nearly 400,000 views in a short time.
Rovanperä’s task is to drift his GR Corolla to the top of Mount Iwaki. Fittingly, the route includes 69 corners—a nod to the number 69, which has long been Rovanperä’s number in the WRC and the foundation of his entire personal brand.
However, simple drifting isn’t enough, as Rovanperä is faced with three challenges along the way. In the first challenge, he must overtake four Japanese drivers while drifting. A similar task appears in the second challenge, but it is notably easier in nature.
“That was fun. Challenge number one completed,” Rovanperä quips.
The video features many Japanese drivers and ends with Rovanperä “encountering” the legendary drifter from the Initial D manga. As the final scene shows, the video is both light-hearted and scripted, yet it remains an excellent watch.
Check out the impressive video below. If the video doesn’t display on your device, you can view it via this link.
Mount Iwaki is well-known as a drifting spot in Japan, where the sport is extremely popular. Rovanperä, in turn, has introduced this already highly popular sport to a new audience.
Rovanperä’s rally season kicks off in less than two weeks with the iconic Monte Carlo round. The new season begins in Monte Carlo from 23–26 January. This year, Rovanperä will compete in the full WRC season once again, aiming for the third world championship title of his career.
