World Rally Champion Takes On Red Bull Formula 1 Test In Austria

Saajan Jogia | Nov 7, 2024

Oct 23, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Red Bull Racing Limited driver Sergio Perez (11) of Team Mexico during the running of the U.S. Grand Prix F1 race at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Reigning two-time world rally champion Kalle Rovanpera has shared valuable insights into the differences a racing driver experiences between rallying and circuit racing, following his test session in a Red Bull RB8 Formula 1 car at the Red Bull Ring, home of the Austrian Grand Prix.

2024 marked the year when Rovanpera diversified his motorsport career, combining a partial World Rally Championship season with Toyota and a return to full-time racing next year. His circuit racing includes a part-time campaign in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, where he won three races, plus a round in the Italian series at Monza. The 24-year-old also competes in drifting and has set his sights on racing at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Rovanpera visited the Red Bull Ring last week, marking his debut in single-seater racing. He began by driving Formula 4 and Formula Renault 3.5 cars before advancing to the older-generation Red Bull F1 car. Before the track outing, he visited the Red Bull Racing headquarters for a seat fitting and tested in the team’s simulator.

Getting a taste of single-seater Grand Prix racing, the Finn completed between 40 and 50 laps at the circuit. Revealing his experience, he said:

“It was a great day, I got to drive three different formula cars. I got quite a few laps in and, of course, the F1 was something I had been looking forward to for a long time, so it was really cool to finally get to drive it. The day went well, and I was left with very good feelings.”

Pointing out the key differences between racing a rally car and a Formula 1 car, Rovanpera explained:

“The biggest differences between rally and F1 are obviously that a rally car moves a lot more from the body – F1 is a bit like a karting car, it doesn't move much from its suspension, but it has an incredible amount of grip – and of course, F1 has a huge amount of downforce, which allows you to drive much faster in corners. It's also physically quite different. 

“There's a lot more lateral G-force, the car stops much more and turns more - it feels very different to the driver, there are a lot more G-forces and the car has an incredible amount of grip.

“Indeed, the first time you sit in there, it feels quite different than in a rally car - you also sit in such a different position that it feels quite different - but it was really cool to get to feel it today.”