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Motorsport

Watch a 13-year-old rallyist scare someone stupid

Published: 29 Jul 2014

Let us introduce you to a potential future WRC champion, Kalle Rovanperä. We say ‘potential', because he's only 13.

But despite Kalle's tender years, he can thrash a Citroen C2 rally car through the woods so fast it reduces fully-grown adults to trembling, screaming wrecks.

Considering most kids Kalle's age struggle to hold down a paper round, his epic car control clearly shows that he's ahead of the game. But he does have a couple of things in his favour. One, he's Finnish - a natural indication of other-worldly driving ability. Two, his Dad is WRC winner Harri Rovanperä. This means Kalle is cooler than you, and his Dad is cooler than yours too.

Rovanperä Senior raced from 1993 until 2006, piloting cars ranging from Ford Escort Cosworths to Seat Ibiza GTis.

Kalle has been flinging himself through Finland's vast snowy forests since he was eight, in all manner of rally-prepped machines: Toyota Starlets, Ford Fiesta S2000s, and a Citroen C2, as can be seen in this video.

As we found out when James met Mika Häkkinen, the Finnish have a thing called ‘Sisu'. We reckon Kalle has a lot of these.

We're not sure who's riding shotgun with Kalle, but as he initiates full Full Banzai Rally Mode, she's reduced to a fleshy ball of screams and tears.

It's a drive that earns Kalle his greatest title yet: a place in TopGear.com's Scariest Passenger Rides Ever gallery. Check it out here. 

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