The two-time World Rally Champion, Rovanperä, will only participate in selected rounds this year, leaving him free to compete in other types of races.
Rovanperä has expressed his interest in circuit racing, and now it has been confirmed that his wish will come true early this summer.
Akio Toyoda, the Chairman of Toyota, announced over the weekend that Rovanperä will compete in the Fuji 24 Hours endurance race driving a Toyota GR86 CNF car, which uses carbon-neutral fuel.
Rovanperä will enter the ST-Q class competition, featuring concept cars developed by automobile manufacturers. The Toyota GR86 CNF car is equipped with a three-cylinder turbo engine used in the Toyota GR Yaris.
Racing alongside the Finnish champion in the same team will be Toyota factory team drivers Kazuya Oshima and Sho Tsuboi, as well as Akio Toyoda’s son, Daisuke Toyoda. The car will be fielded by the ROOKIE Racing team.
Jari-Matti Latvala, the Team Principal of Toyota’s WRC team, will also participate in the same race alongside Toyota boss Toyoda. Latvala and Toyoda, affectionately known as “Morizo,” will drive a hydrogen-powered Toyota GR Corolla H2 concept car.
This will be Latvala’s third entry in the Fuji 24 Hours race, which is part of the Super Taikyu Series in Japan.
The race is scheduled for May 25-26, fitting well into Rovanperä’s calendar. Rally Portugal, where the Finnish star may compete, takes place two weeks prior to the Fuji race. The following week will see the Rally Sardegna, which is not among Rovanperä’s favorites. It has been speculated that Rovanperä might skip the Sardinian rally.
Source: Dailysportscar.com
