WRC champ Rovanpera tries (and wins) Formula Drift Japan
Going sideways quickly and in style
Turns out, 22-year-old WRC champion Kalle Rovanpera is not just a rally king. We can also call him the drift king.
After winning WRC Rally Portugal last weekend, Rovanpera swapped out his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 for something bigger, and something a lot more powerful – a rear-wheel-drive, 900 PS, 2JZ-powered Toyota GR Corolla.
He competed in the second round of Formula Drift Japan held at the Ebisu Circuit. And guess what? The guy won in a car that he's never driven before.
Going up against the professional drifters of Japan, Kalle Rovanpera held his own in the smoke show. Whether chasing or leading, the young Finn demonstrated great car control to impress the judges. In the end, Rovanpera was guaranteed victory after his Japanese rival came in too hot and drifted off into the dirt while he was chasing.
It's not the first time we've seen world champions compete in other motorsport disciplines, but Rovanpera's victory just shows how talented the young Finn really is, whether going against the clock or burning rubber in style.
