This week’s RallyRACC-Rally de Espana marks an historic moment for Jari-Matti Latvala. After five seasons as a factory Ford driver, Latvala is about to move to Volkswagen for the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship. He spoke to WRC.com.
What’s going through your mind on the eve of your last event with Ford?
“It was quite emotional moment in Sardinia because when the announcements came from the Ford side and the Volkswagen side you realise the facts. That’s why I feel quite sad because I knew things would change. Then I also realise life goes forward and now I concentrate to do my job as well as I can over here and enjoy the last rally with the team.”
Is there one memory that will always stand out during your time with Ford?
“For sure the victory in Sweden in 2008 when I became the youngest ever winner. I beat my idol Henri Toivonen’s record for my first win. It was an incredible moment, I was so happy.”
What moment still makes you want to kick yourself?
“There is a couple of things. The thing what I did in Poland [when I crashed on the final superspecial], I want to turn the clock back and do things differently. That really took me down. Also, this year in Sardinia I was very disappointed with what I did. That hurt heavily because I had big expectations for the rally, I enjoy the rally. But these are the moments when you have to remember not to do the same things wrong in the future.”
If you could name one thing about what you’ve learned at Ford what would it be?
“The thing about 2008 and 2009, there were quite a lot of ups and downs and that’s when we started to work on the consistency. That’s when I realised being fast is not going to give you any championships. The team was advising me to work on the consistency but also to be smoother with the car, not pushing too much on the limit all the time.”
What will you miss the most?
“The atmosphere has been like a family team, winning together, losing together. When you grow in the team you know everybody so well. It’s difficult to get the same feeling with any other team because I was so young, 18 years old, and was growing up in the team. For sure at Volkswagen I will have a great feeling with great people to work with but the world I saw when I was 18 coming to the team and growing with the team and becoming a professional was something special I won’t have again.”
A big weekend in Spain then with lots of incentive to go for the win...
“There is quite a lot of things so it gives me a lot of motivation. For sure third place in the championship is really important. And it would be really nice to try to win the rally as well. Overall I want to finish the rally. Sardinia gave me a bad feeling when I crashed. I want to have a consistent rally, I want to have a good fight but I will be relaxed and enjoy the driving as much as I can.”