Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera, a 24-year-old world rally champion from Finland, has announced that he will be taking a break next season after signing a multi-year agreement with the Japanese manufacturer. Despite his success in winning two consecutive championships, Rovanpera expressed that he feels it is time for him to take a year off to recharge and come back even stronger in the future.

Rovanpera stated that he has been driving rally cars for 15 years and the previous seasons have taken a toll on him both mentally and physically. He explained that this break will allow him to rest and recover before returning to compete at the highest level once more. During his break, Rovanpera plans to explore other forms of motorsport, including drifting.

Sebastien Ogier, an eight-time world champion from France, will also continue part-time with Toyota next season. The full-time drivers for 2024 will be Welshman Elfyn Evans and Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta. Evans has been a runner-up three times in the last four years and expressed his desire to build on his progress and win the championship in the future.

According to a report by Alan Baldwin in London, edited by Ken Ferris, Rovanpera’s decision to take a break comes as no surprise given his impressive achievements in recent years. Despite being just 24 years old, Rovanpera has already won two world championships and established himself as one of the top drivers in the sport. As he takes time off to recharge, fans can only wonder what he will accomplish when he returns to competition next season.