Fernando Alonso voices curiosity as world champion makes huge career switch

Fernando Alonso has highlighted he is “curious” to watch world rally champion Kalle Rovanpera make a switch to single-seater competition next year.

Last month, Rovanpera announced his retirement from rally competition as he set his sights on a new career direction.

It was quickly announced that the Finn will join the Super Formula championship in Japan, one of the fastest single-seater competitions in the world.

With a move from rally to single-seaters being such a rare career path, the decision has grabbed the attention of Alonso.

“[I'm] curious to see how he does,” Alonso told media including RacingNews365.

“He’s an incredibly talented driver. Definitely, he will face some challenges, depends on the series that he will go into.

“But already from next year I think it will be a pretty important challenge.

“I’ll follow with curiosity. It is more difficult to see people doing that way, from rally to single-seater than the other way around. It will be a good test.”

Rovanpera is entering the Super Formula campaign with full support from Toyota Gazoo Racing.

While it marks a drastic change for the two-time WRC champion, Alonso asserted he will not be lining up on the grid next year blind.

“Even though he will not be sitting in the Super Formula for the very first time, finding the clutch and go to race, I think he will do lots of simulator days and I guess, preparation with junior formulas or something before you go to the first hit on the Super Formula,” he said.

“So I guess he will have a progression.”