The former McLaren, Renault, Caterham and Lotus F1 driver announced in March that he would undergo an operation after being diagnosed with an ascending aortic aneurysm, a medical condition that affects the arteries.
As a result of the diagnosis, Kovalainen has halted any motorsport activities. The Finn had been set to defend his Japanese Rally Championship title, driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, alongside co-driver Sae Kitagawa, with whom he won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023.
