Latvala acknowledges need to find limit

Ford driver Jari-Matti Latvala has said he must find his limits on his home event, an event known for punishing drivers who take too many risks.

Latvala was forced to SupeRally in 2008 after he hit a rock on SS3, an accident which team boss Malcolm Wilson was not too happy with. When Latvala did return on Day 2, he took three stage wins, and another one on the final day of the rally.

After this, he began to find his limits & thus started taking wins, culminating in victory on his home event last year: “It’s such a quick rally that a driver must know his limits and be sensible. You don't want to be frightened at the wheel, but you must be able to feel the fear and recognise where those limits are.”

Latvala knows that any mistake in Finland will reduce your chances for the win, and that you need to be on the pace from the start. Lost time can be disastrous in Finland, with Colin McRae's former navigator Nicky Grist famously saying '3.5 mins is like 3.5 days in Finland'.

“The pace is such that every error in Finland is magnified, and to win you need to have a perfect drive from the first corner to the last. These are the most difficult gravel roads in the world on which to compete and so much thought has to go into the lines and braking points for jumps. The perfect jump is not too high, with the car landing on all four wheels, like a cat. It requires a higher level of concentration than any other rally.” Latvala said.

This weekend's event will be a special one in Latvala's career, with the Finn starting his 100^th rally at World Championship level, with his first being in Wales in 2002. His career to date has reaped 4 wins, 21 podiums, 385 points and 167 stage wins. An impressive resume for the 26 year old.