[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

[Tarmop]

I think mr Toyoda and probably the team in Est/Fin are finding it quite frustrating to have their championship-winning team with car-issues and struggling no. 2 and 3 drivers. Hard to be the best this way...and Rovanperä isn`t the answer because, firstly, needs more experience from WRC(hampionship). He has had quite costly mistakes this year. Outings in a fourth car, shared with Katsuta+ outings under TMR in R5, all for it.

[denkimi]

If toyota really signs rovanperra, i can't see him in anything else than a 4th car at the start of the year.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Yves Matton
Great to see @Craig_Breen and @paulnagle1 back in #WRC for the @RallyFinland. Hopefully the new beginning of an inspiring story about never giving up ! https://t.co/NtLHtPtO1F

[AnttiL]

Harri Rovanperä says the news of Kalle's contract are only rumors https://yle.fi/urheilu/3-10849253

[Barreis]

Rovanpera and Toyota
http://classic.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/144390

Kalle Rovanpera secures 2020 Toyota World Rally Championship drive

Kalle Rovanpera will step up to a Toyota works seat next season, making him the youngest ever full-time factory driver in the World Rally Championship, Autosport has learned.

The 18-year-old's management will invoke a clause in his two-year Skoda deal to depart his current employer at the end of the year.

Autosport's sources have indicated Rovanpera will drive a third Yaris WRC from the start of 2020.

All parties have denied the deal is done, but Rovanpera's manager Timo Jouhki believes the current WRC 2 Pro leader was ready for the step up.

"Skoda has been very, very good with Kalle," Jouhki told Autosport.

"He has done a lot of testing and this has been an excellent place, but now the time has come.

"We wanted to see how he's progressing with the notes, working with the team, his physical fitness, working with the media and all of these things and he's progressed in every area. He's probably progressed more than we thought he would.

"The aim was for him to get experience for all of the rallies. By the end of this season he will have competed on every rally."

Toyota team boss Tommi Makinen said it was "a little too early" to start talking about drivers for next season, but added that he would be thinking about his 2020 line-up from now on.

Rovanpera has already tested the Yaris WRC, driving the car for the first time during an endurance session in 2017.

Speculation about the teenager joining Toyota has been rife ever since.

Rovanpera said he was ready to move up to the World Rally Car class.

"If the season continues to go like this, then I think we can go to the big cars," he told Autosport.

"We can go there and learn or we can use the option with Skoda and stay for another year, because there is still a lot to learn from the conditions of rallies.

"I saw in Portugal and Sardinia, the first time going to a new event is always difficult. So I will learn with Skoda or go with the big car."

Rovanpera was careful not to specify the "big car" he was talking about.

From the archive
2016: Why Rovanpera is rallying's Verstappen

Autosport understands there was interest in Rovanpera from M-Sport and Hyundai, but Citroen remains fixed for next season with Sebastien Ogier and Esapekka Lappi.

The news that Rovanpera will take one of three Yaris WRCs next season will have ramifications for the driver market, but this season much of the movement will depend on whether WRC leader Ott Tanak remains at Toyota.

The team currently fields Tanak, Kris Meeke and Jari-Matti Latvala.

[er88]

People quick to bash Autosport/ David Evans but he was on the money regarding Meeke going to Toyota when all the Finnish media and a lot on here thought it was a load of shite. Normally when a big publication goes big on such a story, it has truth in it. This doesn't sound like just fanciful David Evans rumours he's made up in his head or what he thinks/wants to happen...

Ofcourse it all depends on Tanak, but I think he'll stay. If he does, you have to say Latvala has had his chance and if some of the service park rumours are to be believed - apparently Tommi thinks the same. Over 200 wrc starts, 3yrs in the Yaris compared to Meeke's first and Tanak's 2nd, yet Jari is the one who seems lost more often than not with poor setups and pace. Maybe Finland and Germany can save him but I believe the writing is on the wall - if he does go I hope he gets a drive elsewhere, maybe back to Msport? I hope for next year Citroen and Msport can both run 3 cars on every event

[AnttiL]

People quick to bash Autosport/ David Evans but he was on the money regarding Meeke going to Toyota when all the Finnish media and a lot on here thought it was a load of shite. Normally when a big publication goes big on such a story, it has truth in it. This doesn't sound like just fanciful David Evans rumours he's made up in his head or what he thinks/wants to happen...

Yeah, Mäkinen also said last year that "Meeke is not coming to our team".

[wrc2017]

Yeah, Mäkinen also said last year that "Meeke is not coming to our team".

so what you point. thats not reflecion on evans. I think the trigger has been Rovernpera exit from Skoda.

[Tarmop]

I believe Evans wrote that Tänak chose Ford for 2018 also...
https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...stay-at-msport

Also there is that little thing called army service, which Rovanperä starts this autumn. Not something that helps one to test-train for the following season, in a totally new environment.

[AnttiL]

I believe Evans wrote that Tänak chose Ford for 2018 also...
https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/1...stay-at-msport

Also there is that little thing called army service, which Rovanperä starts this autumn. Not something that helps one to test-train for the following season, in a totally new environment.

Tänak also wrote in his blog that "the rumors of me changing teams is wrong" just before the announcement