Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Kalle Rovanpera is one of the brightest young talents in Motorsport having rewritten the World Rally Championship record books, becoming the youngest ever champion aged 22 in 2022. Last year he joined an elite group of drivers to defend the crown that include Juha Kankkunen, Miki Biasion, Tommi Makinen, Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier.

The Finn may be familiar for tackling the world toughest roads but this year he is expanding his motorsport horizons, dovetailing a part-time WRC campaign with a move into circuit racing. But there is a lot more that makes the Finn tick as Autosport’s WRC reporter Tom Howard and rally journalist Luke Barry find out.