Last season, the team boss drove a full-fledged GR Yaris Rally1 car, whereas this time he will be driving Toyota’s Rally2 car in Central Finland. Whenever Latvala competes, he is one of the most interesting names in the rally, whether it’s a WRC event or a local village rally in Finland.
However, discussions have raised questions about why the team principal needs to compete in Jyväskylä. Latvala’s passion for driving is well known, but perhaps Toyota could have offered the Rally2 seat to a young talent.
“A very good question, of course, why a young driver isn’t in this car. There are a few reasons behind this. I get good data from the car when I drive it myself compared to the development version I drove a year ago. We have many customers, and there are many questions about what the car feels like and how it drives,” Latvala explained to RallyJournal.com.
“Now I can concretely tell what driving this car is like and how it behaves, especially now that it has been updated. That’s one thing.”
Latvala’s task is also to challenge the top names in the class, but not with a “win at all costs” mentality. As the most experienced driver in WRC history, Toyota will undoubtedly receive realistic feedback on both the man’s and the car’s performance compared to competitor teams. Toyota’s Rally2 car was launched to the market earlier this year.
“Another thing is that we know what my level was last year with the Rally1 car. Now I’m entering the Rally2 class and can kind of see what the level is. I know the competition is tough, but now I can compare it to last year. It’s good to compare the pace of today’s young drivers,” Latvala added.
It would take a miracle for Latvala not to be on the starting line of Rally Finland in 2025. Next year would mark a significant milestone for the Finn. Known as an enthusiastic statistician within the sport, the opportunity is likely too tempting to pass up.
“This is a very good point now that it’s my 19th time in Jyväskylä. In 2025, I’ll also turn 40. I suppose it means I’ll have to drive next year too, but let’s not jump that far ahead yet. Let’s try to get through this race first,” Latvala laughed.
