Jari-Matti Latvala
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| Jari-Matti Latvala | |
|---|---|
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Nationality |  Finnish |
| Active years | 2002 – |
| Teams | Ford |
| World rallies | 39 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podium finishes | 0 |
| Stage wins | 1 |
| Points | 13 |
| First world rally | 2002 Rally Great Britain |
| edit | |
Jari-Matti Latvala (born April 3, 1985) is a Finnish rally driver, competing with a Ford Focus RS WRC 06 for Stobart M-Sport Ford in the World Rally Championship. His co-driver has been Miikka Anttila since the 2003 Rallye Deutschland.
[edit] Career
Latvala began driving when he was eight years old, after receiving a Ford Escort from his father Jari Latvala, also a rally driver and 1994 national champion in the Group N class.[1] At the age of ten, Latvala started practicing with an Opel Ascona on a frozen lake.[2]
Latvala's first world rally was the 2002 Rally Great Britain at the age of 17. He finished in 17th position with a Mitsubish Lancer Evolution VI. In 2003, Latvala competed in four WRC events with a Ford Focus WRC, finishing tenth at the Acropolis Rally, 17th at the Rallye Deutschland, 14th at the Neste Oil Rally Finland and tenth at the Rally Great Britain.[3]
In 2004, Latvala mostly competed with a S1600 class Junior World Rally Championship car. His best overall result in the World Rally Championship was 21st with a Group N Subaru Impreza WRX STI at the Tour de Corse. In the 2005 season, Latvala competed in nine world rallies; six with the Group N Impreza and three with a World Rally Car. His best overall result was 16th, which he managed three times; at the Swedish Rally with a Toyota Corolla WRC and at the Tour de Corse and the Rally d'Italia Sardegna with the Impreza.[3]
In 2006, Latvala competed in 11 world rallies. He drove the Subaru Impreza WRX STI in six, a Ford Focus WRC in four and a Toyota Corolla WRC at his home event, the Neste Oil Rally Finland. His best results came in the last three rallies. At the Telstra Rally Australia, he won the Production Car World Rally Championship (P-WRC) class, and finished sixth overall. At the Propecia Rally New Zealand, he finished eighth overall and also won the P-WRC. With the Focus WRC, he recorded his career-best result by finishing fourth at the last event of the season, the Rally Great Britain. Points from these rallies then placed Latvala 13th overall in the drivers' championship.[3]
For the 2007 season, Latvala is signed up for a large programme, competing for Stobart M-Sport Ford in at least 12 rounds with Matthew Wilson and Henning Solberg as teammates. At the 75ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo, he retired after a driving mistake while battling for the eighth place with Jan Kopecký.[4] At the Swedish Rally, he had to retire due to a technical problem.[5] At the first Rally Norway, Latvala was fighting for his first podium place, but had to settle for a fifth place after a 90 seconds time penalty. He did, however, take his first stage win on SS5, Opaker, over four seconds ahead of Sébastien Loeb.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ Jari Latvala. RallyBase. Retrieved on February 18, 2007.
- ^ Jari-Matti Latvala, Suomi (Finnish). MTV3. Retrieved on February 18, 2007.
- ^ a b c Jari-Matti Latvala. RallyBase. Retrieved on February 18, 2007.
- ^ Latvala 'so disappointed' to retire. Crash.net. Retrieved on February 18, 2007.
- ^ Chilling end for both Latvala and Wilson. Crash.net. Retrieved on February 18, 2007.
- ^ Latvala claims first WRC stage win. Superwheels. Retrieved on February 18, 2007.
