The Finnish driver entered the 2010 season after an eventful 2009 campaign, which saw him make plenty of mistakes and crash several times in his second year with Ford's works team. This year however, he failed to finish in points only once (retirement in Portugal), closing the WRC action with 2 wins and a rewarding runner-up spot in the overall classification.
Needless to say, the expectations for Latvala in 2011 are even higher now, especially since everybody in the WRC will get a clean start with the new regulations/cars next year. Having developed into a title contender from as early as his win in Rally Finland, Ford's Malcolm Wilson believes next year will provide Latvala with the perfect chance to challenge for the WRC crown.
“Jari getting the runner-up spot in the championship is an exceptional result for the team and especially for him, considering the year we've had,” said Wilson, according to Autosport.
“He has matured more than I expected. He's now in the role we wanted; he's able to drive with pace and consistency. Jari has definitely shown the pace to be fighting at the top next season. And there's no doubt next year is going to be a very close and interesting battle.”
Ford World Rally Team will switch to its new Ford Fiesta WRC car next season, as will rivals Citroen with their new DS3 WRC. Both manufacturers have already confirmed their lineup for next season, with Latvala teaming with Hirvonen for Ford, and Sebastien Loeb teaming with new colleague Sebastien Ogier for the French manufacturer.
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