WRC Champion Kalle Rovanperä Halts Super Formula Bid: Akio Toyoda Cites "Responsibility to Protect" Driver's Health
Kalle Rovanperä, the young champion of the World Rally Championship (WRC), has announced a hiatus from his planned participation in Super Formula for the 2026 season. Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation (also known as Morizo), revealed that the decision to "protect" Rovanperä was made after considering the driver's physical condition. According to an announcement from GAZOO Racing, Rovanperä had been making continuous efforts to adapt to the high-G environment of Super Formula. However, through test runs, his body, particularly his neck and core, struggled to cope with the intense and unique G-forces of a formula car. Some social media posts have suggested that the issue might be related to otolith disease, potentially causing dizziness and nausea, indicating difficulty in maintaining balance. This news brought considerable shock and disappointment to motorsport fans. Many had eagerly anticipated seeing the WRC champion challenge formula cars, leading to num...