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Two-Time WRC Champion Kalle Rovanperä to Leave Series for 2026 Super Formula Switch

Toyota’s backing underpins a plan to learn single-seaters in Japan before targeting Formula 2 in 2027.

Overview

  • Rovanperä confirmed he will exit the World Rally Championship after the 2025 season, though he remains in this year’s title fight with three rounds left.
  • He will race in Japan’s Super Formula in 2026 with Toyota Gazoo Racing support, a move the manufacturer has framed as an unprecedented transition.
  • The 25-year-old outlined a roadmap of two years in Super Formula to prepare for a Formula 2 campaign in 2027 and to keep options open toward top-tier circuit racing.
  • Despite Porsche Carrera Cup and GT3 outings, he has no single-seater race experience, highlighting the scale of the switch.
  • Analysts call the project an ambitious long shot; Super Formula is highly competitive and yields substantial FIA super licence points, and observers note Toyota’s Haas link as a potential pathway if results justify it.