Rovanperä will only drive in selected rallies in the 2024 season. He announced his controversial decision in November, right after the previous season ended.
The back-to-back champion Rovanperä wants to take a short break from the WRC, which is why he will skip some of the rounds.
The Finnish star will not be seen driving in the season-opening Rally Monte Carlo, but it is likely that he will start his season in Sweden in February.
“I won’t comment on that yet. Of course, it’s very possible,” Rovanperä says to RallyJournal.com.
Toyota’s WRC team will announce who will represent the team in each event before the start. In addition to Rovanperä, Sebastien Ogier will also only drive a partial season for Toyota.
“I have a pretty clear idea of what those rounds will be,” Rovanperä reveals.
During the summer, the WRC will feature a string of three fast gravel events. Poland in late June, Latvia after mid-July, and Finland at the beginning of August.
These three rounds could very well be earmarked for Rovanperä.
“That’s also possible, but I don’t know yet,” Rovanperä says.
If Rovanperä were to compete in Poland, Latvia, and Finland and secure top results from these events, he would presumably be high in the WRC standings. After Rally Finland, there are only four more rounds left, so it’s natural to speculate: if at that point, could Rovanperä consider competing in more events and trying for the championship?
“Let’s see where we stand at that time. If we are so high in the standings that it’s possible, then we’ll reconsider,” Rovanperä answers.
However, the fact remains that Rovanperä is not considered one of the top favorites for next year’s championship. Those ranks include Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak, as well as Toyota’s Elfyn Evans.
“Certainly, Ott and Elfyn are the toughest. Ott will definitely drive hard as he always does. Now, Elfyn also has a good chance at the championship. I guess the battle will be between them,” Rovanperä assesses.
