Rallying-Rovanpera's move to circuit racing intrigues F1 stars

LONDON :Kalle Rovanpera could be a triple rally world champion by the end of the season and Formula One drivers will be watching his next move with interest.

The 25-year-old Finn announced this month that he will switch to circuit racing next year, starting with Japanese Super Formula.

Depending on how the Toyota-backed driver goes, Formula Two and ultimately Formula One and the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race could be in his sights.

Racers have gone from two wheels to four, the late John Surtees winning world titles in both, but making a successful transition from rallying to F1 would be breaking new ground.

PLENTY OF CHALLENGES AHEAD FOR THE FINN

Fernando Alonso, a double F1 world champion who has competed in the Dakar Rally and won Le Mans with Toyota and races in F1 with Aston Martin, was keen to see how Rovanpera went.

"Definitely he will face some challenges," the Spaniard told reporters in Mexico last weekend.

"Rally was always playing with the two feet, brake and throttle for the whole time in a stage. And then the limits of the car and the limits of what you can do is shockingly different."

Esteban Ocon, whose Haas F1 team has a technical partnership with Toyota, said he understood why Rovanpera would want the challenge.

"I think, first of all, it's awesome," said the Frenchman. 

"It's going to be a story that I really follow closely, and I've been following him already when he was doing some Porsche Cup races.

"If I was him, winning already two titles in WRC and being so young and having Toyota in support, definitely you want to try something else."

Rovanpera has won three rallies this year and is second overall in the standings with two rounds remaining, 13 behind teammate Elfyn Evans and level with eight times