There is a first time for many things in live – Jari-Matti Latvala who usually regularly competes in the World Rally Championship as works driver for the Team BP Ford Abu Dhabi participated in his first circuit race at the Nürburgring Nordschleife last Saturday. The 25 years old Finn used the second round of the endurance racing championship as a preparation for the classical 24-Hour race at which he will join the Team “FH Köln Motorsport powered by Ford” at the same venue in a Ford Focus RS.
How did you as professional rally driver like your first contact with the Nürburgring Nordschleife?
Very much, the Nordschleife is really very exciting and interesting. It took me eight laps until I knew about where I was.
What about your general experience in circuit racing?
I was occasionally competing in karting as a child and we have also already had some tests with our rally team at circuits. As a competition, though, this was my first experience.
Do you think that your excursion into the “Green Hell” will help you in WRC rallies?
(Laughing) Not in gravel rallies! But definitely for asphalt rallies. In my opinion, the Nordschleife is absolutely perfect for this purpose, it reminds be a little of a long and twisty country road.
Have you already discovered your favourite section?
(Reflects for a while) The area at „Pflanzgarten“ with the jump and the subsequent fast and alternating corners, but also the fast section between „Antoniusbuche“, the following drop and till braking for the „Hohenrain“ chicane just in front of the start and finish straight is very exciting – just as the long uphill section between „Bergwerk“ and „Steilstrecke“.
How did you manage the heavy traffic during the endurance racing championship round at the Nürburgring – as during a rally you are always alone on the track?
Yes, this is a totally new experience. You must observe the rear view mirror all times in case that a quick sports car is approaching. But I myself passed a lot of cars, too. Actually, there was action going on in each and every second.
And how do the competitors behave on the track?
Very good in general. Okay, you better leave the racing line to the cars fighting for the overall victory. But even during individual fights for positions, everything was running surprisingly smooth – as soon as the blue flags are shown, the drivers concerned normally pull to the side immediately. I was very impressed how well the system worked.
This is actually new for you: Blue flags are not used in rally sports?
That is right. I would wish red flags to be used in rallies instead.
Why?
It could indicate that a special stage has been stopped for whatever reason. Today, we receive yellow flags only and we do not exactly know what is going on.
Is the comparable long driving time of up to one hour a problem for you?
No that was totally ok. Each competitive mile on special stages is much more exhausting, in particular in the case of gravel rallies. I was nevertheless sweating much more in the Ford Focus RS race car. But the reason behind were the fewer cooling possibilities. Our World Rally Car has more ventilation openings.
How will you prepare yourself to the 24-Hour race?
In particular in arriving fresh and well rested. Driving at night requires a much higher concentration and this is also a question of personal fitness.
Other than in former times, you currently compete rarely in the dark. Do you miss this additional challenge?
Not at each rally. There is a special stage in the dark at the Rally of Sweden, that is great. On gravel, too, it is great fun to drive in the dark.
How often do you practice sport and what kind of sport?
Three to four training sessions per week. Hereby, I attach great importance to practice many different kinds of sport. I could also just exercise jogging but this does for example not train the upper part of your body very much, which is very important for us.
And what do you do instead?
I do a lot of cross-country skiing in winter, otherwise badminton, boxing, jogging and orientation hikes which are very popular at home in Finland. Hereby you are equipped with compass and map and you must find different markings in the forest, covering up to ten kilometres.
Did you not feel a little lonely in the cockpit – completely without co-driver?
Yes indeed, that is somehow strange. (Laughing) At the beginning, I really wished someone to be with me to read the pace notes. But seriously: I was able to complete some information laps on Friday morning together with Paul Weigert.
?the suspension engineer of Ford who has developed the set-up of the Ford Focus RS for the Nordschleife?
? Exactly. He showed me the racing line – and he also showed me the many places where he had already gone off (laughing). But this was a great help for me.
In other words: You were the passenger in the car?
Exactly. That was really strange because Paul, too, is braking very late for the corners. Strictly speaking, I prefer to sit on the left side.
How much did you have to adapt your driving style? The Ford Focus race car has a front-wheel drive, whereas your World Rally Car has a technically sophisticated four-wheel drive?
The greatest difference is under braking. In the Ford Focus RS WRC, I brake with my left foot which is not possible in the car at the Nordschleife due to its practically standard gearbox. In fast passages only, I can change the balance of the car in braking with the left foot. You must however take care not to overheat the brakes.
Did you have to back off a lot not to cut over the kerbs – just as you do in rallying in the corners?
Yes that is difficult. We must in all cases avoid the high curbs. We have however discovered in rallying, too, that not each and every cutting is reasonable – if for example the oil sump guard hits the ground, you may loose too much of your pace.
So from your point of view, Rallye Deutschland can come after the 24-Hour race at the Nordschleife?
Yes, and I really hope that this new experience will be a great help for me as there is still some room for improvement regarding my performance at Rallye Deutschland.
Which are your favourite stages there – the roads in the vineyards, the stages on the military training area of Baumholder or the fast country roads in the Saarland area?
Baumholder is absolutely ok for me. You have uphill and downhill passages, it is quick and you have a good grip on the track surface. If these were gravel roads, it would definitely remind me of Finland. I do also like the narrow and bumpy vineyard roads – although you may quickly loose a lot of time there.
