Wrc.com interview: Jari-Matti Latvala - Part 1

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Q: What is the biggest difference between driving for the Stobart team and the factory Ford team?
"The biggest thing now is that I can do a lot of testing. Last year I think we did three full days and three PR drive-days - so around six in total. This year it will be more or less 20. The car too is different, okay there's not one big difference between the 2006 and the 2007 Focus, but there are lots of small things that you notice at very high speed. Also when you're in a factory team the level of support is incredible; my job is to drive and try to make good results and everybody is helping to make it easy for me to do that job. And of course the car is very special - it's absolutely on the limit of what is possible."

Q. On the stages of Rally Mexico you and Sebastien Loeb fought each other extremely hard. Did you speak to him much before each stage?
"Well yes, we spoke quite a lot actually. Before the first stage on Saturday morning I told him I was feeling like a hungry lion ready to pounce and that I'd be driving with this sort of feeling. After the stage Sebastien's co-driver Daniel came running over and asked where the lion was. I said I didn't find it! Most of the drivers talk when we have some time. We talk about the tyres, the set-up, feeling and so on. For me it's one of the nice things about rallying."

Q. You were fourth on Rally Argentina last year, which at the time matched your best ever WRC result. Where are you going to finish in Argentina this year?
"Yeah, the fourth place last year was very good but of course this year I'll try to be higher than that. Like Rally Mexico I'll go there aiming for a place in the top three but it would be very nice if I could be close to Sebastien once gain."

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