Paris (AFP)

At only 35 years old, Jari-Matti Latvala left the wheel to take the reins of the Toyota team, where he is learning to lead his former rival Sébastien Ogier, seven-time world rally champion, two years his senior.

Three-time vice-world champion in the WRC (2010, 2014, 2015), once behind Frenchman Sébastien Loeb and twice behind Ogier, the Finn was not used to celebrating a French victory.

As the Arctic Rally, the second round of the year, takes place in northern Finland from Friday to Sunday, the situation has changed.

At the opening of the season at the Rallye Monte-Carlo in January, the young "team principal", who has just replaced his compatriot Tommi Mäkinen, was all smiles after the Toyota double achieved by Ogier and the Briton Elfyn Evans.

Modest, Latvala recognized above all the merits of the Frenchman: "It was my first race for this post, so I was not going to tell him what he had to do. He knows very well what he has to do for himself. 'impose, he is seven times world champion ", the last time in 2020.

- Relax -

"On Friday, everyone was stressed" for the first day of the race, replaces Latvala.

"But by Saturday everyone started to feel relaxed and I think that helped the drivers, because if you feel relaxed in the team, they feel it."

Relax, the tall blond with a black cap was indeed, as often, in the mixed zone and on the final podium on the Côte d'Azur.

It must be said that everything was in place for the Japanese brand: a good Yaris and good drivers just missing the hat-trick, with the young 20-year-old Finn Kalle Rovanperä, 4th.

"Jari-Matti shares his passion with all the members of the team", appreciates Akio Toyoda, the CEO of Toyota, validating the method of the Finn, who "tries to create a family atmosphere so that everyone can express themselves on no matter what subject".

A WRC figure since the turn of the century, Latvala still holds two brand records: he is the youngest winner of a rally at 22, in Sweden in 2008, and he has taken part in the most races, with 209 starts, ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz (196).

- "Anger" -

But, helmed by the two Sébastien (Loeb and Ogier) in his career, he has never registered his name on the WRC list.

"I had said in the past that Loeb was the best driver in history. But now I come back to that because, when I look at how Seb (Ogier) drives, I start to think they are on a roll. equality. "

"When some pilots, including myself, are angry, they can drive very quickly and suddenly make mistakes by starting to + overdrive", explains the Finn, whose mind sometimes gives way while, in this sport, confidence is queen.

Conversely, Ogier "is able to transform this anger into positive energy for his driving. He just drives better, he concentrates more", admires the one who was his teammate at Volkswagen for four years (2013-2016).

Passed to the other side, Latvala just regrets being today "much more limited to help conquer victory in a rally".

Only pilots can "directly influence performance".

So, to stay in touch with this feeling of power, he allows himself a few pleasures: he has just won the Mesikämmen rally at home, in Finland, in the historic category, with a Toyota Celica GT-4 from 1988.

© 2021 AFP