From Greece to Finland to Poland to Chile to Japan to… somewhere in Europe. That’s been Kalle Rovanperä’s schedule for the last few weeks. And you know what it’s like when you’re travelling – it’s always nice to have some company…
Which is why the world champion’s happy to see another Toyota shirt alongside him in Okayama for this weekend’s Formula Drift event in Japan.
“Taka’s coming,” grinned the Finn.
Rovanperä and Takamoto Katsuta are team-mates, but before that they’re great pals.
“They are,” said the man they both call the boss, Jari-Matti Latvala.
Kalle has been a big supporter for Taka, let’s say this way. But this isone of the big assets in our teamJari-Matti Latvala
“It’s really cool that they’ve gone to Japan together, they are really good friends. This is nice, but it’s also good for the team. You know I can often hear Taka saying to Kalle: ‘What about this corner? What are you doing here? How do you approach it?’
“Kalle has been a big supporter for Taka, let’s say this way. But this, I have to say, is one of the big assets in our team – the bond between all of the crews is so strong.”
And this weekend, Taka will be taking drifting lessons.
“Sure I’m going to teach him,” smiled Rovanperä. “It’s cool to have him there. He’s also driving, but not drifting car – he will drive a rally car, I think.”
Katsuta catches the conversation.
“Donuts,” he grins. “I will be making many donuts. I don’t know if I can sit with Kalle in the GR Corolla drift car, they don’t have passenger seats and this is a serious competition. But he can come with me and I can make some more donuts with him! I will keep doing them until his head is gone!
“This weekend is going to be a lot of fun.”
A lot of tire smoke, a lot of donuts and an awful lot of fun.
