Legendary special stage Sisteron started rally at thursday evening. It was driven in opposite direction compared to earlier years that meant that we need to survive 4 km icy road to downhill at the dark. Everyone decided to go with slick tires and there were lot of action. I spinned twice but many others were stucked in the snow banks. I was 40 seconds behind the lead. After that I decided to drive calm and steady. Saturday was the toughest day of the rally, it rained 15 cm slush snow and roads weren’t cleaned, there were very tricky conditions for the wide studed tires. I got very bad memories back in 2013 at the Col de Turini when we went off quite heavily in this kind of conditions. I was able to stay calm and ended up to the third place after saturday. I was able to keep that position and we reached two bonus points from the Power Stage.

Sebastien Ogier won the rally and my new team mate Ott Tänak was second.

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Sebastien Ogier had already confirmed World Rally Championship title but Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak were fighting for the second position. I was on the fourth place without chances to climb up on the leaderboard. My target was to get the good last rally of the year, hopefully on podium. On friday morning I was struggling a little bit with driving but in the afternoon loop my driving was more consistent and I the podium was reachable.

On Saturday I was able to reach the second place. Thierry Neuville was in the lead and I tried to challenge him, but Thierry extended his lead. I couldn’t beat him.

On the last driving day, Sunday, weather changed – It started to rain heavily and I decided to attack under these conditions. I was able to reach Thierry Neuville, but not enough. Gap between me and Thierry was 10 seconds before last stage, 7 km in length so there weren’t any chances to reach him. Ott Tänak was also around 10 seconds behind me so the places were already almost confirmed.

On the last stage I tried to fight for the Power Stage points. I started quite fast, but I wasn’t as focused as I should be. That caused a trouble three kilometers before the end of the stage – I cutted to the song at left hand corner and tyre refracted beneath the car and we ended up to the forest, no chances to go on. That cost the second place for us and our season was ended in the not so nice way.

All in all this teached me that every single stage needs to be dirven with 100 % focus level. When I want to be a world championship, I need to be fully focused on my driving.

Final leaderboard for Rally Australia was: 1. Thierry Neuville, 2. Ott Tänak and 3. Hayden Paddon.

Wales Rally GB was tough for Toyota Gazoo Racing team. We had tested and created new setup for suspension, it turned out that it’s not going to work at the muddy and wet gravel roads. We didn’t have traction or side grip. We were far behind others compared to previous gravel rallies.

You should never give up, so that’s why I decided to go for a fight. Unless I was dropped quite far behind from the podium during the saturday. But in the evening there were fog and we were driving at the dark, so I made attack and I was able to make fastest stage time with quite big margin. I rised up to the fourth place and I was still able to fight for the podium.

On sunday morning our target was clear: reach the podium place. Unfortunately car wasn’t in a good shape, simply it wasn’t behaving well – it was under and over steering all the time on those muddy roads. That’s why I wasn’t able to catch Sebastien Ogier, instead Andreas Mikkelsen was able to reduce the gap and finally I dropped down to the fifth place. Finally Andreas Mikkelsen was on the fourth position, Ogier third and with that position he secured his WRC title. Thierry Neuville was second and Welhman Elvfyn Evans took his first WRC event victory.

Motor oil leakage ended Rally Catalunya

Rally Catalunya was fourth rally in a row where Jari-Matti Latvala’s chances for the podium positions was ruined by technical issues. Rally ended because of motor oil leakage at first day. Rally Catalunya started from Salou with six gravel special stages. Almost 39 kilometres long Terra Alta, was driven twice, contained also tarmac section. Latvala was able to drive that stage only once.

– When we were preparing for the second pass, there were refuel and leveling. FIA technical officer told that oil is leaking from our car. We took a closer look and noticed that it might quite serious problem. Latvala told.

Terra Alta 2 was the last stage of the friday, but Latvala and Anttila weren’t able to start the stage. Retirement was the only option.

– So much oil was already leaked, that we hadn’t enough oil with us, Latvala’s co-driver Miikka Anttila told.

Latvala and Anttila were at the 7th position before retirement. Difference to the leader was 16 seconds. Latvala reached one fastest stage time.

– At the service we realised that problem is so serious that we are not able to restart the rally under super rally regulation, deplored Latvala.

Citroen’s Kris Meeke took the victory. Sebastien Ogier was second 28 seconds behind Meeke and his M-Sport team mate Ott Tänak reached 3rd place, 33 seconds from the lead. Juho Hänninen with Toyota Yaris WRC was fourth.

Ignition malfunctions and puncture ruined Rally Germany

Ignition malfunctions and puncture ruined Jari-Matti Latvala’s chances to fight for the victory in Rally Germany. Latvala took two fastest stage times and was 7th in overall. He took also three bonus points from the power stage.

Headquarter of the Rally Germany were moved from Trier to Saarinmaa’s Bostalsee. Traditional part of the route contained roads at the tank training area, Baumholder, but there were only four special stages at the Mosel vineyard area. Most of the special stages that were used before was replaced by fast roads in Saarinmaa.

Start of the rally was tricky for Latvala. He was 13,7 seconds behind rally leader Andreas Mikkelsen and the mood was good. However, at the last stage, 9 km long Waden-Weiskirchen, before the midday service ignition started to act up weird, and Latvala dropped 1,5 minutes behind the leader.

– Grip wasn’t consistent at the morning, but driving was going smoothly. Our plan was to increase the speed at the afternoon, Latvala told.

The car was repaired at the service and Latvala drove one fastest stage time. Latvala started second, 147 km long, leg from the eight place, 1.54,7 minutes behind rally leader, Ott Tänak.

At the second leg Latvala was able to reach 7th place, but difference to the leader shooted up to four minutes because of puncture. There were also some technical issues that caused time loss.

– At the morning I made some mistakes and speed wasn’t too good. At the afternoon I added speed, but at the long Panzerplatte stage we had a puncture. We need to change the tyre and it took two minutes. Remembered Latvala.

At sunday there were four stages, length of 50 special stage. Latvala was at the top three at three of those. Latvala was third at St. Wendeler Land power stage and took three points.

– We hit left front tyre to somewhere at the start of the stage. I thought that we had a puncture and that’s why I wasn’t trying hard, and we almost gone of in one corner. Latvala deplored his performance at the power stage. M-sports Ott Tänak took his first victory at tarmac. He beated Andreas Mikkelsen, who was driving Citroen, by 16,4 seconds. Latvala’s gap to the leader was more than three minutes because of the puncture and technical issues.

Huge disappointment for Latvala at the Neste Rally Finland

Jari-Matti Latvala had good chances to win the rally, when failure at the Toyota’s engine control unit stopped the rally.

– That is definitely the one of the biggest disappointments at my carreer. The feeling was good and I was enjoying driving, but when that kind of issues strikes, you can’t do nothing. Latvala told.

Latvala was reached the rally lead by 8,5 seconds at the saturday morning, when about 8 kilometres from the start of the Ouninpohja stage Toyota Yaris WRC’s engine stopped and that was a black moment for the driver.

– All the electricities were suddenly gone, without warning, and car didn’t reacted anything. I tried all the potential buttons, but nothing happened. I tried anything, I switched off the main switch, took of the grounding cable, tried all the couplings, but still car remains quiet. Remembered Latvala.

After the friday Latvala was second 4,4 seconds behind rally leader Esa-Pekka Lappi. He was battling against Lappi who had great advantage of the 11th road position. Lappi was driving several fastest times. Latvala took one fastest and five second fastest times at the first leg of the rally.

– I was trying too hard. I started breakings too late and so on. I need to calm down. Remembered Latvala his driving at friday.

At saturday road position was far too better and equal to Lappi. Latvala was fastest at all the five first stages of the saturday, Pihlajakoski 1, Päijälä 2, Ouninpohja 1, Saalahti 1 and Saalahti 2. But then at Ouninpohja 2 all changed.

At sunday Latvala restarted the rally under rally2 regulation. He was the first car on the road and won two stages out of four. At the power stage he was fourth, which means two points for the championship.

– I had maximum attack, couldn’t drive faster. There were still two places which could be a bit better. Remembered Latvala his driving at the power stage.

Latvala was 21st in overall. Eight fastest times. Rally was won by Esa-Pekka Lappi, this was the first one for him! Elfyn Evans with Ford was second and team mate Juho Hänninen was third.

Winning the Power Stage compensated retirement at Rally Poland

Jari-Matti Latvala ended Rally Poland with victory at the Power Stage and reached 6 points. The compensated saturday’s retirement that ruined the changes for the podium place.

“At the first pass of the Power Stage I took it really steady and raising up the feeling for the second pass. I marked up the tricky places at the first time and at the second pass I made maximum attack. There were couple mistakes, but we get those five points.” Latvala summed up.

At saturday Latvala was in the third place 13 seconds behind the leader when Toyota Yaris ended up to the side of the road because of the clutch and flywheel breakage.

“That was huge disapointment especially when other drivers like Neuville and Tänak had problems too. Without that problem we were able to get the lead of the rally.” Latvala told.

At the Southeast Poland, Masuria area, roads were extremely fast and event was exceptional tricky when there were raining all the time. Especially second pass of the stages were tricky because of mud and ruts.

Latvala lead the rally almost for the whole morning in the first day. At the end of afternoons loop position was third.

“At the morning there were actually quite good grip but it was changing all the time. At the afternoon I had problems with car turning in the ruts. We raised up the car for the afternoon, but not enough, I think.” Thought Latvala.

The gap between rally leader Thierry Neuville and Latvala was 6,6 seconds after the opening day. Ott Tänak in the second position was 5,3 seconds behind Neuville.

Fight for championship is still on

At the saturday the car was easier to drive on the muddy roads, but problem with clutch ruined the changes for the victory.

“At the saturday’s morning loop of stages grip was changing a lot and there were much of ruts. I felt that were driving at the good pace even in the ruts. So the retirement was big disappointment.” Latvala told.

Thierry Neuville won the rally. Winning margin to the team mate Hayden Paddon was 1.23,9 minutes. When Tänak retired, Latvala raised up to the third place in the WRC. He won four stages of the rally.

“There are still changes to fight for the championship!” Said Latvala.