Kalle Rovanperä won the competition with a nearly 40-second lead over his teammate Sebastien Ogier, and Toyota took the largest points haul from the race.
This excellent performance left team principal Jari-Matti Latvala beaming with satisfaction.
“This was a top-notch competition for us,” Latvala summed up.
“The shakedown stage gave a bit of a hint of tougher times, but once the rally started properly, it immediately looked like we were quite strong. Surprisingly strong, actually, as I did expect the Hyundais to come on strong,” Latvala recounted.
Rovanperä’s good pace was anticipated in Latvia, but Ogier’s top result was a bit of a pleasant surprise for the team.
“I thought Ogier could finish in the top five, but he was splendidly second. That was a wonderful and positive surprise,” Latvala praised the Frenchman.
Super Sunday has often been dominated by Hyundai this season, but now Toyota managed to improve in that regard as well. Hyundai’s Ott Tänak was the top driver on Sunday, but Ogier and Rovanperä followed closely in second and third places.
“The perfect Sunday is still waiting for us, but definitely a good step forward compared to previous Sundays,” Latvala appreciated.
Toyota drivers weren’t the only successes of the race. Although host country’s Martins Sesks suffered terrible bad luck right at the end of the rally, he was undoubtedly one of the biggest success stories of the competition.
“An incredible weekend from him, driving at that speed without making mistakes. Of course, he still lacks routine as he hasn’t driven that much. On Saturday, there was a bit more variance in his times, but that’s just due to lack of routine. Overall, though, a great and mature performance from him,” Latvala praised the Latvian.
According to Latvala, Sesks immediately positioned himself among the most sought-after rookie drivers.
“I’m sure car manufacturers are now interested in him,” Latvala said, also mentioning the names of Sami Pajari and Oliver Solberg.
Toyota’s weekend was successful overall, but Takamoto Katsuta did not perform well. The Japanese driver is having a relatively challenging season.
“He has made mistakes, which has increased the pressure. Maybe he’s taking too much pressure on himself now. He needs to relax. We know Taka has the speed. Now we just need to have some trouble-free weekends,” Latvala hoped.
Latvia hosted a World Rally Championship event for the first time. According to Latvala, the competition was nearly a bullseye.
“The arrangements worked really well, and people were really enthusiastic. In my opinion, all the positive elements were there. The only downside was that people couldn’t find the service park, so it was a bit quiet,” Latvala thought.
