HEIGHTENED interest in the FIA Repco Rally New Zealand, being contested by a top international field. PHOTO SUPPLIED
THE start of FIA Repco Rally NZ is geared up for next Thursday and Finnish find Kalle Rovanperä is chasing a place in sporting history. The 21-year-old Rovanperä, current leader in the FIA World Rally Championship, could potentially wrap up the title with co-driver Jonne Halttunen when the 11th round is staged in and around Auckland from September 29 to October 2. In doing so Rovanperä, who has seven WRC victories to his credit already in his fledgling career, would become the youngest champion in the sport’s history. He heads the international list of drivers and co-drivers from 13 nations to contest Repco Rally New Zealand, the 32nd time the championship has been staged here, and the first time in more than a decade. YOUNGEST DRIVER Rovanperä has turned heads since becoming the youngest driver to win a WRC event when he prevailed in Estonia at age 20 in 2021. The name is well-known in rallying circles with the Toyota Gazoo Racing driver the son of long-time WRC driver Harri Rovanperä, who finished on the podium twice at Rally New Zealand. His teammate and eight-time world champion, Sebastien Ogier will no doubt be motivated to extend his remarkable record of 54 WRC victories and remove New Zealand from the small list of rally venues where he has not stood on the top of the podium. The powerful Toyota Gazoo Racing team also includes Welshman Elfyn Evans, who has five WRC wins and 23 podiums to his credit, and Japan’s former karting and Formula 3 standout, Takamoto Katsuta. He came through the Toyota development programme under the watchful eye of Tommi Makinen, a four-time world champion. WORLD CHAMPION The Hyundai challenge is led by Ott Tänak, the 2019 world champion from Estonia, and the experienced Belgian driver Thierry Neuville, who has 15 WRC rally wins since his debut in 2009. Their team is rounded out with Sweden’s exciting 20-year-old Oliver Solberg, the 2020 FIA European Junior Champion, who is the son of 2003 world champion and fan favourite, Petter Solberg. The M-Sport Ford challenge is headed by Ireland’s Craig Breen, who has scored two podiums this year, and England’s Gus Greensmith, a promising youth footballer at Manchester City, and 2014 British Junior Rally Champion. The Ford team also includes Adrien Fourmaux, a former junior French Rally Champion and Italy’s Lorenzo Bertelli, who has been a regular with M-Sport for the past seven years. TOP KIWI DRIVERS There will be considerable Kiwi interest in the WRC2 category, led by 2011 Production WRC Champion and five-time New Zealand Rally champion, Hayden Paddon. He has made a return to the WRC2 this year with support from Hyundai New Zealand. There will be plenty of support for current Supercars Championship leader Shane van Gisbergen, who has put together a privateer campaign to realise a dream of competing in the rally that he watched many times as a youngster. Two-time New Zealand Gold Star Champion Ben Hunt, who followed in his father’s footsteps into the sport more than a decade ago; triple European Champion Poland’s Kajetan Kajetanowicz, and Australian Rally champion Harry Bates will all be in the latest Skoda Fabia machines. These crews are supported by 46 additional entries in the New Zealand Rally Championship field, so 75 cars will assemble at the Pukekawa Auckland Domain Start on the evening of Thursday September 29.
