Fernando Alonso has seen plenty of drivers push the boundaries of motorsport – himself included – but even the two-time Formula 1 world champion admits he’s fascinated by Kalle Rovanperä’s next move.
The double World Rally Champion, long considered one of rallying’s most gifted talents, is swapping gravel for grip and tyres as he sets his sights on a new chapter in single-seater racing.
Rovanperä, who stunned the motorsport world last month by announcing a pause in his rally career, will join Japan’s Super Formula series in 2026 before targeting an entry into the FIA Formula 2 Championship the following year.
The move, backed by Toyota Gazoo Racing, represents one of the most unusual career shifts seen in recent times – and Alonso is watching closely.
“[I'm] curious to see how he does,” Alonso told reporters in Mexico City recently. “He’s an incredibly talented driver. Definitely, he will face some challenges, depends on the series that he will go into.
“But already from next year I think it will be a pretty important challenge.
“I’ll follow with curiosity. It is more difficult to see people doing that way, from rally to single-seater than the other way around. It will be a good test.”
Few figures understand the challenge of switching disciplines better than Alonso. Beyond his illustrious Formula 1 career, the Spaniard has triumphed in the World Endurance Championship, conquering the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, and also taken on the Indianapolis 500 and the Dakar Rally.
For the F1 veteran, adaptability isn’t just a skill – it’s an art.
Rovanperä’s upcoming jump from rally stages to the ultra-fast precision of Super Formula represents a similarly daring leap, and Alonso believes preparation will be key.
“Even though he will not be sitting in the Super Formula for the very first time, finding the clutch and go to race, I think he will do lots of simulator days and I guess, preparation with junior formulas or something before you go to the first hit on the Super Formula,” he said.
“So I guess he will have a progression.”
From one motorsport explorer to another, Alonso’s words carry both admiration and curiosity. And as Rovanperä prepares to swap dirt roads for downforce, the world – and one very interested Spaniard – will be watching to see just how fast a rally ace can adapt to the relentless precision of single-seater racing.
Read also: Daring Rovanpera swaps slides for speed in first F2 run
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