Subiesport Magazine - April/May 2008 - (Page 70)

MOTORSPORTS A COUPLE OF YEARS ago, I had the great honor of talking with one of the famous “Flying Finns,” Pentti Airikkala. The 1989 RAC Rally winner now runs a rally school in the United Kingdom, appropriately titled Left Foot Braking, through whose doors have passed some of the world’s greatest drivers. Chatting about the current crop of Finnish drivers, I asked Airikkala if he thought Mikko Hirvonen had what it took to be world champion. Before I’d finished the question, he exclaimed “Latvala!” Seeing my blank expression, he continued, “Jari-Matti Latvala, he will be Finland’s next world champion.” Latvala (and Hirvonen) have both benefited from Airikkala’s tutelage, but it is the former who is domi- nating the headlines thanks to a commanding victory in Sweden. It made the 22-year-old the youngest driver to win a World Championship Rally, eclipsing the record set by another Finn, the legendary Henri Toivonen, whose maiden victory came on the RAC Rally in 1980. Latvala controlled Rally Sweden from the first forest stage on Leg One, and never lost the lead. By the end of the first day he was already 48 seconds ahead of his Ford teammate Hirvonen, while reigning world champion Sébastien Loeb was languishing in 50th place when he rolled his Citroën on SS4 after clipping a snow bank. The damage could not be repaired because of limitations imposed on teams at the newly introduced remote service, and the Frenchman retired from the Leg. Rejoining the rally on the second day, he set a couple of fastest times before the team withdrew him. With Loeb out, Hirvonen held second place, admitting he had lost his opportunity to win the rally on the Friday when he didn’t challenge Latvala enough. The rally leader didn’t win another stage after the first day, but he didn’t need to; as long as he kept a good speed — and his cool — the win was his. Latvala didn’t have it quite all his own way, though, thanks to the Subaru of Petter Solberg. The Norwegian held the overnight lead on Thursday after taking the SuperSpecial stage at Karlstad, his first stage win since Rally Ireland last year. He didn’t take another stage win on the event, but he did put in some excellent runs that would earn him fourth place overall and fourth place in the driver’s championship standings. After his surprise podium in Monte Carlo, Chris Atkinson would have been more than a little surprised to have matched the feat in the snow of Sweden. On his previous three outings his highest finish was eighth, and again he found himself down the order soon after the rally began. Having matched his teammate’s time on SS1, the Australian slid wide on a narrow section of road and ran into a snow bank exiting a corner. As the banks were softer than usual, it gave way, beaching Atkinson’s Impreza. Although undamaged, it took 15 minutes to dig the car out. His situation never really improved after that and Atkinson finished the event in 20th. —David Hobbs 70 MAY 2008

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Subiesport Magazine - April/May 2008 Contents Travis Geny Letters Readers' Rides Subaru News Wicked in White Pink Rules Harman Motive Nouveau Tuning the 2008 STI 2008 Rally Guide Alcan 5000 Rally Alcan Unleashed WRC Rally Monte Carlo WRC Rally Sweden WRC Rally Mexico 100 Acre Wood Kumakubo! D1 Drifting Where to Buy Subiesport 2008 Impreza WRX 2007 Legacy GT 1993 Impreza Wagon Fueled Up Ad Directory Spotted!

Subiesport Magazine - April/May 2008

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