There’s nothing Jari-Matti Latvala loves more than rallying. He lives it, he breaths it, he gets it.
But there’s an itch to scratch – the Toyota team principal is yet to experience the latest generation of rally cars on a competitive stage.
Latvala last drove a contemporary machine on a competitive rally stage in 2020, when he took part on Rally Sweden driving a Toyota Yaris WRC.
But aside from a demonstration in Japan at the unveiling of Toyota’s Rally1 car, he is yet to drive the new hybrid machines in anger.
Latvala has previously made no secret of his desire to try the car on a national rally, and he hasn’t given up on his pursuit.
“We will see. If I have a chance it will be at the end [of the year] anyway, the second half of the season and towards the end of the year,” Latvala told DirtFish.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a big chance, but maybe there’s a small chance.
“But I will push for it. I tell you I will push it but there’s no promises.”
It’s unlikely that the Toyota boss would make a Rally1 appearance on a large scale event this year, but a regional Finnish rally could be on the cards if the Japanese manufacturer makes a car available.
“Yeah, if I could have a chance it would be a small rally, a one day rally.”
