The race has been run at the World Championship level three times before, and each time a Toyota driver has celebrated victory. Sebastien Ogier was the winner in the 2021 season, followed by Kalle Rovanperä the next year, and Elfyn Evans last year.
Of the trio, Ogier and Evans are racing again in Croatia this time, but Rovanperä is taking a break.
“Our car has been fast on tarmac from the start. We have performed well here before. I have strong confidence that, as far as the car is concerned, we can drive for victory,” Latvala summed up on the eve of the race.
As of Monday, the temperature in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, was around 30 degrees, but the weather has cooled by 20 degrees for the race, and rain is also promised.
“The weather is challenging and can make the job really difficult. It has been unstable, and now it looks like it will rain over the weekend. This makes tire choices difficult and can take away drivers’ confidence,” Latvala thought.
“Just last week, it was over 30 degrees and really dry. Then it even snowed during the recce. This rally is really difficult in the rain.”
The most challenging aspect for the drivers is the varying weather conditions.
“It would be clear if it rained all the time and you could put rain tires on. The worst is if it rains at night and not during the day. The roads are partly wet and muddy, but it’s difficult to decide what tires to put on as the weather dries,” Latvala stated.
“A couple of years ago, we saw that Kalle almost lost the victory due to a wrong tire choice. However, he made an incredible attack on the last stage and managed to win.”
Latvala considers Ogier the strongest link.
“With the new scoring system, victory is not necessarily as important anymore. If you drive into the top five and have an excellent Sunday, you can get the most points. That’s why you have to think about things a bit differently,” Latvala speculated.
“Elfyn is driving more with the series in mind, so his tactics might be more cautious. For Ogier, on the other hand, it’s easier to go for the win in the race.”
A total of 20 special stages are run in the Croatia Rally, accumulating over 280 kilometers.
