Why Rovanpera is anticipating a fight to defend his WRC title
Question: what could be harder than becoming the youngest-ever World Rally champion? Answer: becoming the youngest-ever two-time World Rally champion. That's quite the challenge facing Toyota's Kalle Rovanpera in 2022, particularly against rejuvenated opposition in the second year of the WRC's hybrid regulations.
It seems that Kalle Rovanpera has barely been afforded an opportunity for his record-breaking 2022 World Rally Championship title to sink in before thoughts switch to trying for a second in 2023. Such is the fast-paced world of the WRC, where seasons are split by a matter of weeks rather than months, that teams have emerged from a brief winter hibernation to do battle again this weekend at the time-honoured Monte Carlo Rally curtain raiser.
A wild silly season triggered by Ott Tanak’s departure from Hyundai to M-Sport has resulted in Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport reshuffling their driver line-ups. Now that the music has stopped, the WRC could be set for one of its most tantalising title battles, with all three teams boasting world champions or rally winners.
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