Kalle Rovanperä, the two-time world rally champion, has once again shaken up the motorsport world, but this time not just on the track. The hottest topic of conversation in recent weeks has been his decision to reject a $10 million contract offered by Elon Musk, apparently related to a Tesla marketing campaign. Now, however, a sensational rumor has spread that claims that Rovanperä has secretly signed a gigantic deal with a Tesla competitor, possibly Rivian or BYD. The alleged deal is rumored to be worth billions, and details have begun to leak onto social media, especially the X platform, where fans and critics are engaged in a heated debate. This twist has put Rovanperä’s name back in the global headlines.
The rumors began when an anonymous X account posted a message claiming that Rovanperä rejected Musk’s offer because he was already committed to a rival electric car manufacturer. The message said that the deal was not just financial, but part of a larger campaign in which Rovanperä would serve as the frontman for the company’s efforts to challenge Tesla’s dominance. The claims were further fueled when a rally fan shared a doctored photo of Rovanperä next to a Rivian electric car, further fueling speculation. In Finland, where Rovanperä is a national hero, the rumor has divided opinion: some see it as a brilliant move, while others doubt its veracity and see it as nothing more than a PR stunt.
Rovanperä’s decision to reject Musk’s offer was a bold move in itself. His comment, “Keep it and use it for something that really helps people,” resonated especially with young fans who admire his values-based approach. However, the rumored deal with Tesla’s rival puts his decision in a new light. If the allegations are true, Rovanperä not only rejected Musk’s money, but also strategically positioned himself to be part of the electric car competition, which could further raise his global profile. On the other hand, if the rumor proves to be untrue, it could damage his reputation, as some question his motives and accuse him of a calculated image game.
Social media reactions have been mixed. On X, one user wrote: “Kalle is a genius! He outplayed Musk and got a bigger deal!” Another was skeptical: “This smells like fake news. Kalle doesn’t need this kind of drama.” In Finland, Ilta-Sanomat published an analysis that considered whether the rumor could be spread by Musk’s opponents, as his companies have recently been the subject of controversy, for example due to the SEC lawsuit in 2025. The Rovanperä team has not yet confirmed or denied the rumors, but is focused on the next round of the World Rally Championship. This silence has only increased speculation.
Rovanperä’s position in the rally world is solid, but his activities off the track have also made him a social influencer. He has previously supported Toyota’s carbon neutrality goals and participated in environmental projects, which makes the rumored deal with the electric car manufacturer plausible. On the other hand, his fans point out that Rovanperä has always emphasized authenticity, so a billion-dollar deal seems contradictory to his modest image. Some compare the situation to Mohamed Salah’s decision to reject a huge offer from Saudi Arabia, seeing in Rovanperä an athlete who puts principles before money.
Whether the rumor is true or not remains to be seen, but it has already boosted Rovanperä’s profile. His next rally, the 2026 Monte Carlo, has received unprecedented attention as fans wait to see if he’ll drop any hints about the deal. Musk’s camp has remained silent, but there’s a joke going around X that he might respond by offering Rovanperä’s teammate Ott Tänak a Cybertruck. Whatever the truth, this episode shows that Rovanperä is not just a rally driver, but a global icon who can shake even the giants of the tech world. Fans are eagerly awaiting what happens next – and who Kalle will eventually race with, on or off the track.
