Esapekka Lappi of Hyundai took first place, and with Thierry Neuville celebrating at the season opener in Monte Carlo, Latvala’s team has yet to secure a victory this season. However, Latvala was not yet ready to hit the panic button.
“There’s no need to go there. The car has speed and enough performance. That’s the most important thing. If that was missing, it would be time for a crisis meeting,” Latvala stated.
Toyota prepared for Rally Sweden with extreme diligence, but it was not enough when Kalle Rovanperä and Takamoto Katsuta slid out of the leading battle. Elfyn Evans‘ starting position was so unfavourable that realistic goals were out of reach, although the Welshman did secure the biggest haul of WRC points over the weekend.
“Of course, it’s disappointing. We prepared hard, even participating in the Arctic Rally. All the elements were there, and the car was good, as were the drivers’ confidence. But the steps just didn’t land on the board this time,” Latvala reflected.
“The preparation could not have been better. It wasn’t lacking. The drivers made small mistakes and paid a high price for them.”
Although a victory was missing, Evans’ second place and the double win by Rovanperä and the Welshman on Sunday and the Power Stage offered some consolation. In the manufacturers’ standings, Toyota is tied with Hyundai, as the Korean team scored just one more point from Sweden despite their first-place finish.
“It seems that the drivers have the speed and skill. Evans is also in a good position for the drivers’ championship. That’s a strong point. I’m not overall worried. The pace is good, and so is the car. Now we just need the drivers to succeed in the events,” Latvala summarized.
Latvala found Katsuta’s Saturday morning retirement unfortunate. Going forward, the team principal hopes to instill more relaxation in his Japanese protege.
“Maybe we need to think about getting Takamoto to relax more. He has the speed, but a certain kind of relaxation is missing. Those pressure situations need to be managed,” Latvala considered.
“For Kalle, there haven’t been many mistakes overall. It’s just that at some point, mistakes will happen. Now it just happened at this time and, admittedly, at a bit of an inconvenient moment. It happens to everyone when driving hard.”
From his own driving career, Latvala remembers well what it’s like to handle pressure and what happens when the car slips out.
“I’ve made mistakes myself, so I understand. It’s disappointing for the points and for Takamoto, the podium would have been great for his confidence. I’ve made so many mistakes myself, I know the situation.”
Latvala warmly welcomed Lappi’s victory, even though he drives for a rival team.
“It’s been a long time since Esapekka’s last win. In that sense, it’s nice because it’s been so long. EP (Esapekka Lappi) has had tough years in between. He definitely deserved to win, and it’s really a great thing.”
