Latvala and Hussi have competed together this year in the FIA European Historic Rally Championship. Now, the pair are switching to a very different machine: Toyota’s Rally2-spec car, which they will drive on the fast gravel roads of Central Finland in the WRC2 competition.
Last year, Latvala achieved an impressive second place in the WRC2 class in Jyväskylä, alongside Juho Hänninen. This year, the Finnish veteran is again targeting a podium finish.
But victory may be out of reach. The overwhelming favourite in the WRC2 field is Oliver Solberg, who recently delivered a sensational win at Rally Estonia in a top-tier Rally1 Toyota.
In Jyväskylä, Solberg returns to the cockpit of the Toyota Rally2 car.
“He’s just won a World Rally Championship event and beaten world champions. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think I can quite match his pace,” Latvala admits frankly to RallyJournal.com.
“He’s going so fast right now, and when you look at the results he’s had with the Rally2 car as well, he’s been pretty dominant. So yes, his pace is definitely too much. He’s got so much confidence and momentum on his side.”
Last year in Central Finland, Solberg won the WRC2 class by 39 seconds ahead of Latvala. Solberg effectively built his lead on the first full day of proper running, then managed the gap from there.
Latvala will also face a strong field of Finnish and Estonian drivers. Among the Finnish entrants are Roope Korhonen, Lauri Joona, Mikko Heikkilä and Emil Lindholm, while Estonia will be represented by Robert Virves, Georg Linnamäe and Romet Jürgenson.
“If we manage to finish in the top three in the WRC2 class, that would be an excellent result. I’d be pretty happy even with a place in the top five,” Latvala estimates.
“It’s always a bit more challenging going into a rally after just one day of testing. For example, back in 2023 with the Rally1 car, I really needed more seat time to be fully up to speed. With the Rally2 car it’s a bit easier to get into the rhythm, but now that I’m getting older and only doing WRC events occasionally, it always takes a bit of time to warm up,” Latvala says with a laugh.
Rally Finland gets underway on Thursday.
