Jari-Matti Latvala has hailed last week’s Rally Argentina victory as the boost he needed in challenging for this years World Rally Championship.
Rally Argentina was the first time Latvala has beaten his team-mate and defending champion Sébastien Ogier in a head to head race to the finish.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to have won the Rally Argentina,” said the Finn. “This victory means a lot to me personally because we won this tricky rally on our own merit, which shows that we’re still a force to be reckoned with in the World Championship.”
“If I hadn’t won, if it had gone wrong for me, then the championship would have been very, very bad.”
Latvala however didn’t take all the credit for his win. He praised the effect his new psychological coach Christoph Treier had on him.
“He has helped me to manage my emotions – For me, sometimes I would get into the lead and then I would get nervous, I would get excited and then make a mistake.”
“I feel different when I am in the car, I feel stronger that I can control my mind now. I’m not letting the emotions come so easily.”
Thanks to his new found confidence, Latvala wants to move forward consistently and close the gap between himself and championship leader Ogier.
“Before, I have been winning rallies: one win here, one win there – Or I have the situation where I have one good event, one accident, one good event, one accident. Now I want to lift that curse.”
