Latvala against the youth of WRC2: “It’s really very close”

As in 2023, Jari-Matti Latvala left aside his costume as director of Toyota Gazoo Racing for a weekend to put on his driver's suit again. Small difference, this time the Finn did not take part in his rally national in the premier category but in WRC2.

On the very fast dirt roads that he knows like the back of his hand, he was able to taste the Yaris Rally2 introduced this year in competition. A great machine to compete against the youth of the category led in particular by Oliver Solberg, WRC2 leader and winner of the Rally Finland. For his part, Jari-Matti Latvala stood up to the youngsters, even finishing on the podium (2nd) and with four scratch times, to his greatest pleasure.

« I had a day of testing and about a hundred kilometers before the event, and I wasn't too sure of the level I could have during the rally, confided the person concerned. Oliver came to see me at the end of the tests! It was very exciting to be there because I wanted to see the level of WRC2. If you look at the times overall during the rally, it's really very close between everyone. You have to fight in every corner and you really have to attack all the time. Starting 20th on the road on Friday, we sometimes left 1 hour after Oliver, and we often had conditions different from his, and it was difficult to really know our pace. Sometimes it was better for him, sometimes it was for us. It was better the next day when we rode together."

The question of further participation next year remains to be resolved. But given the pleasure he has been having since 2023, we say to ourselves that the boss of the TGR will not be able to miss his meeting at home. Especially since the 2025 edition will have a special meaning for him.

« I really enjoyed riding in the second category against young talents, seeing their talent and their way of progressing for the futureHe says. Next year I will be 40 years old, and this year it was the 19th Rally Finland. So I could make my 20th start next year if I'm there. So I absolutely have to be there! »

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