Having seen the rival team Hyundai celebrate victories in both Monte Carlo and Sweden this season, Toyota, unaccustomed to a winless streak in recent years, is eager to reclaim the top spot.
In fact, the last time Hyundai celebrated consecutive victories was in the 2019 season when Thierry Neuville triumphed in Corsica followed by Argentina.
“Honestly, it’s been a tougher start to the year than we hoped for. But there’s no catastrophe in the points situation. We’re at a reasonable level. We expected to win in Sweden. The car was good, and the drivers were confident. Everything was in place, but the steps just didn’t align,” Latvala tells RallyJournal.com.
“Now we have to focus on the Safari Rally. We need to achieve success there. It has been a strong event for us in the past, but we must remember it’s a different event now, being held at a different time of the year. It might rain a lot and become very slippery.”
Latvala emphasizes the importance of patience in the upcoming adventure.
“The biggest thing is to maintain patience. It’s a survival race, not a speed competition. That’s the most important message we need to convey to our drivers.”
Hyundai’s strong start to the year hasn’t come as a surprise to Toyota.
“It was clear at the end of last year that Hyundai’s car had improved and their performance had significantly increased. We knew this year would be tougher,” says Latvala.
Over the past seasons, Toyota has been notably more reliable than Hyundai, securing the manufacturers’ championship year after year. The Safari Rally will once again test the cars’ durability.
“The first few events were somewhat easier for the cars. Now, as we head into tougher races, we’ll see the reliability that has been our strength in recent years come to the fore. It will be interesting to see what Hyundai’s reliability is like now,” Latvala contemplates.
“With the improvements they’ve made, it’s intriguing to follow, but how it fares on the reliability front remains to be seen.”
In Kenya, Rovanperä is likely to be Toyota’s strongest contender again. The Finnish driver has already clinched a victory in Safari Rally. After a disappointing performance in Sweden, his motivation is undoubtedly at its peak.
“I know Kalle is eager to bounce back. He’s motivated and wants to win. He’s always been strong in Kenya. In his first year, he led the race but got stuck in the sand. He’s been incredibly strong every year and understands how to drive in the Safari. I’m absolutely certain he’ll be in top form,” concludes Latvala.
