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Kalle Rovanperä's decision to step back from full-time competition in the 2024 WRC season raises concerns and prompts discussions about the championship's future format.
On Monday, the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team announced that the reigning World Rally Championship (WRC) champion, Kalle Rovanperä, has decided to step back from full-time competition for the 2024 season.
This decision has raised eyebrows and sparked discussions among top drivers in the WRC, leaving many wondering about the implications for the championship.
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Rally Japan winner Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta are set to be Toyota's two full-time entrants for the 2024 season.
Thierry Neuville of Hyundai expressed his concerns about Rovanperä's decision.
"It would be a shame for Kalle to scale back his commitment. I mean, Ogier is not doing a full championship anymore, if Kalle would be out, it would be even less contenders for the title fight.
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"There are already not a lot, so if there's even one less, I think for the championship… I don't know what it means for the championship but it shows that something is going wrong," he said.
Ott Tänak, Neuville's teammate for the upcoming season, echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that Rovanpera's decision might indicate underlying issues within the sport.
"If something like this should happen, it shows that the sport definitely has something missing. If a young champion like this even doesn't want to do the championship, obviously there is something very wrong, and I hope this opens the eyes of the FIA and promoter," he said.
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Rovanpera's compatriot Esapekka Lappi, who will also undertake a part-time program in the upcoming season, offered insights into Rovanperä's potential motivations.
Lappi suggested that burnout might be a significant factor in Rovanperä's decision and wondered if the Toyota driver aims to highlight the need for changes within the WRC.
"It proves that he's also tired, for this traveling here and there... And I think there has been also some comments and statements about the format, so maybe he wants to show as well that something needs to be changed," Lapi commented.
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As the WRC community grapples with Kalle Rovanpera's unexpected decision, questions loom about the state of the championship and whether his move will prompt a reevaluation of the sport's format.
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