Rovanperä back in a GR Yaris Rally1, but 2027 is still open
Kalle Rovanperä is back behind the wheel of a top-class rally car after almost a year away. The two-time world champion drove a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 in the United States, but he did not say whether the outing points to a return to the WRC.
What Rovanperä did in Tennessee
Rovanperä drove a current-specification GR Yaris Rally1 on Sunday, September 20, at a promotional day in Tennessee. The event was not part of the FIA World Rally Championship calendar. According to DirtFish, it was the 25-year-old Finn's first outing in a top-class rally car in almost a year.
"It's the first time I drove a proper rally car since Saudi," Rovanperä said. "It was nice. You don't need to drive a car like this for very long before you realize that you missed it. It was nice driving Jonne's [Halttunen] car in Finland… but this was different."
He summed up the day briefly: "It was a good day, the road was nice. I was able to drive it a few times to make sure I knew it and then I was just driving and enjoying."
What he says about 2027
The run alone was enough to start speculation about a full program for Rovanperä in 2027. Asked by DirtFish what his presence in America and in the car meant, he gave little away.
"Like we talked about in Finland, nothing is decided for next year," he said. "I'm talking with Toyota about what's possible and let's see. And for America, it's a nice place and I wanted to make a small holiday."
He spent the evening before the promotional day at a NASCAR race, which he described as "really cool."
The WRC driver market remains open. Hyundai has still not revealed its plans for the 2027 season.
Why Rovanperä left the WRC
Rovanperä left the WRC at the end of the 2025 season to attempt a move into single-seaters. His hopes of a Super Formula season were ended by balance problems that appeared under high g-forces.
Before the Tennessee outing, his most recent time at the wheel had been in a drift-spec Toyota Supra, which he used to film Dream Run on closed streets in his hometown of Jyväskylä. Rovanperä said the shoot was really nice. "Of course, the driving was good, but it was also interesting to be part of this whole filming project."
FAQ
Where did Kalle Rovanperä drive the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1?
In Tennessee, in the United States, at a promotional day outside the WRC calendar.
Will Kalle Rovanperä return to the WRC in 2027?
That is not known. Rovanperä says his plans for 2027 are not decided and that he is talking with Toyota about what is possible.
Why isn't Kalle Rovanperä racing in Super Formula?
He experienced balance problems under high g-forces, which ended his hopes of a season in the series.