This year, Rovanperä has been driving part-time for Toyota’s factory team. Earlier speculation suggested that Rovanperä might take part in Rally Japan, as it is Toyota’s home event, and the team has a lot at stake.
With the Central European Rally concluding on Sunday, it was confirmed that one of Hyundai’s drivers, Thierry Neuville or Ott Tänak, will be crowned champion at the end of the season. However, in the manufacturers’ championship, Toyota still has a chance to challenge Hyundai.
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Given the stakes at their home rally, Toyota would have benefited from fielding the strongest possible lineup. However, the reigning world champion Rovanperä will sit out the final event.
“He won’t be in Japan – that’s how it is now. Unfortunately, Kalle won’t be driving there because his season is, so to speak, over,” Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala explained to RallyJournal.com.
“He’s driven seven rallies, which is half the season. And now he won’t be able to go to Japan.”
Elfyn Evans, Sebastien Ogier, and Takamoto Katsuta will be competing for Toyota’s manufacturers’ points in Japan next month. Latvala did ask Rovanperä if he could reconsider his plans.
“Yes, I asked Kalle if he could join, but Kalle said, ‘try to handle it on your own, boys,’ so he’s not going this time,” Latvala shared.
The gap between Hyundai and Toyota in the manufacturers’ championship is 15 points. This means Toyota will need a top result in Japan to overtake Hyundai.
Last year, Toyota celebrated a 1-2-3 finish in Japan’s challenging tarmac rally. Evans took the win, followed by Ogier and Rovanperä.
