Project Latvala jr.

[A.F.F.]

Interesting case this Jari-Matti. Some stages an ultrafast driver, some stages very keen to make mistakes.

Anyway, his future looks a bright one. Mr. Wilson said that this point, Jari-Matti doesn't need to prove his pace anymore, they know it's there. What he needs is consistency covering ALL THREE DAYS. All in all, Mr. Wilson himself said he finds Jari-Matti as a potential future champion.

J-M said that his biggest problem is to maintain his consentration. If all goes well and he has a good feeling, like in the first leg of Sardinia, the driving is easy and fast. But if something is bothering him, it instantly effects his consentration. Then he is vulnerable to mistakes.

Miika Anttila, his co-driver used to work with Mikko Hirvonen also. He said the biggest difference between Mikko and Jari-Matti is that Mikko was/is much more determined with things and decisions. Jari-Matti needs to make things sure by asking many people around him. Therefore the overall feeling is more uncertain. Maiika Anttila figured some reason for it is Jari-Matti's huge desire for success.

All interesting points, because Jari-Matti is still very young. He has all the possibilities to become one of the greatest if he gets more, much more experience and milage from different rallyes.

[pino]

I like Jari-Matti, he's a great talent, and very fast too, he only needs some more experience and find the consistency Loeb has :D I think he's the best option to replace Marcus at Ford...

[jonkka]

All in all, Mr. Wilson himself said he finds Jari-Matti as a potential future champion.

Hannu Mikkola said same of Toni Gardemeister during final, televised stage of Rally Finland 1999. Look where Toni is now?

[Corny]

And Kankkunen too about Toni in 1999.

[GigiGalliNo1]

Toni hasn't had the opportunity as JM does now.

[Woodeye]

Toni hasn't had the opportunity as JM does now.

And yet Toni drove in the Ford WRC -team few years ago..

But what comes to J-M, in this todays Ilta-Sanomat Marcus said that it has been rumoured that even Citroen would be interested having J-M. Although in the same article Mr. Jouhki said that it's not going to happen...

[Priorat]

How much testing does he have at Stobart?
Testing is key to consistency these days.

[A.F.F.]

Hannu Mikkola said same of Toni Gardemeister during final, televised stage of Rally Finland 1999. Look where Toni is now?

I can't speak for Hannu Mikkola but I don't see much similarities in J-M and Toni :mark:

[WRC2006]

JM Latvala has a bright future and if he want to be the best driver in next years, he will have to stick with FORD because it is the only team best for him and Malcolm will treat him like his son.

I didn't think that Mikko can do something good in the time he has been with the Subaru, but once in Ford everything changed!! Latvala still has plenty of time in front of him to get experience and learn more and more.

[Josti]

I can't speak for Hannu Mikkola but I don't see much similarities in J-M and Toni :mark:

Well, I think Toni had kind of the same problems. Fast, but not consistent. I remember his 3rd place in New Zealand 1999. Great performance, considering he was driving a Seat. At that time, a pretty understandeble statement of Hannu I think. Like he said Henri would have been the greatest Finns of them all.

As for JM. Good driver, fast and I think he will be a Ford works driver as soon as Marcus retires. Let's hope he will be consistent then.

[jonkka]

Toni's 3rd overall in NZ 1999 was his 13th WRC start. Admittedly, quite a number of top drivers had problems in that rally but still, that drive inspired many. And it all came to nothing, thanks to various factors.

[A.F.F.]

My point jonkka is that unlike many others, J-M seem to have all the potential to the top but is he aware of it and can he work it.

I can't remember which one of the Flying Finns said that Henkka had a different approach to find his limits than other drivers. When other drove, they speed up and when they rolled the car, they found the limit. Henkka drove flat off and rolled, then he slowed a bit and when the car kept on it's wheels, he found his limit. :)

J-M seem to be very fast. He just needs to get rid off those mistakes. Can he do it in time? With Wilson family, he certainly could have more time than in other families.

[jonkka]

I can't remember which one of the Flying Finns said that Henkka had a different approach to find his limits than other drivers. When other drove, they speed up and when they rolled the car, they found the limit. Henkka drove flat off and rolled, then he slowed a bit and when the car kept on it's wheels, he found his limit. :)

It was his father, the late Pauli "Tiikeri" Toivonen.

[Brother John]

All in all, Mr. Wilson himself said he finds Jari-Matti as a potential future champion.

Mr. Wilson told the same about Duval a couple of years ago!
But still I will always be a great fan from the flying Finns.

[Finni]

Latvala is doing very promising developement. I would put my money rather on Latvala than on Hirvonen when considering future world champion.

[Tomi]

No point to compaire Henkka, Garde and JM, different guys different time, JM and will become a worksdriver thats 100% sure, Garde I think still has good chanses too.

[jso1985]

many drivers where told to be the next WRC superstar, many of them never managed to win a single rally like Gardemeister but other like Loeb are now, well I don't want to p**s off his haters here...

Latvala has huge potential I think everybody noted that, now if he gots what it takes only time will tell

[jonas_mcrae]

Garde had the tools when with ford, and I think he tried to use them to the max. The focus was not the best car around but he made quite a good part in 2005 for M-sport, thanks to him marucs started 2006 with number 3 on his window.
I would really like to see garde in Suzuki,i think he is well balanced in his abilities and he is as good in gravel as in tarmac or even better in the last.
about JMi like him and i think he has the potential, but to beat loeb? Naaa (and i dont like that)

[proco2020]

It was his father, the late Pauli "Tiikeri" Toivonen.

The quote about going faster and faster until you go off was always said about the late great Gilles Villeneuve and is appropriate for F1 where they have run off areas and gravel traps but not appropriate for rallying, unless you're Colin Mcrash.

I hope that J-M moves up to a full works drive soon and doesn't become a wasted talent. He's a better driver than MH

[GigiGalliNo1]

He's a better driver than MH

You can't say that yet! eeeek :p he hasn't won but is a promising driver !!!

[jonkka]

The quote about going faster and faster until you go off was always said about the late great Gilles Villeneuve and is appropriate for F1 where they have run off areas and gravel traps but not appropriate for rallying, unless you're Colin Mcrash.

Note that in Henri Toivonen's case the quote went the other way around, starting from mad crash-certain speed and continuing to slow down until the car no longer rolled.

[proco2020]

I presume they had unlimited recce and recce-cars in his day then?

Not an appropriate way to learn a car I'm afraid, build up speed until you're on the edge on accident and then that is the correct speed.

[A.F.F.]

Guys, I only used Henkka as a remote example of J-M characteristic of developing as a driver. Like Tomi said, no reason to compare him and young Latvala.

[pentti]

I have spend some 60 days with J-M and some 30 days with Mikko + many phone calls. They both are very talented and brave drivers. What they need to uderstand, is how the suspension works. And that's not easy. You can't totally relay what your engineers do. They don't drive the bloody thing. But they think they know! Anyhow the best thing is ,to set your car better than anybody else. Then winning comes easy.