Time's Up for Latvala...

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Originally Posted by serial jeff

I don't get it, do you mean Malcolm is telling JML to drive dangerously fast?

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I know it sounds silly, but yes I do. I can't imagine JML driving the way he wants, not in a team like M-sport.
MW will not keep JML for a minute if he's crashing without pushing too hard. I think they are both aware of the risk they are taking.
Then again, that's my own opinion.

I really beive englandsfahrer and setrial jeff is simplifing things a bit to much. Drivers like Bosse, Solberg, MacRae and many more have had periods during their carreer in which they have crashed a lot. There is a lot of psycological aspects to take into account aswell. Natrurally latvala knows exactly where the problem is, but at the same time they need to have some results. You will never be a top driver if you do not have your share of crashes. It could be as simpel as latvala not being able to have the car setup exactyly as he wants; there is from time to time difficult for a young secobnd driver to have his opinions brought forward. He will always be shaddowed by the more experienced personal in the team.
There is also the question of personal chemistry between co-driver and driver. We do not know anything about this.
To simply say that Latvala is going to fast, or should change his pace notes, is to make thing waaaaay to simple.

This reminds me of Petter Solberg's time in Subaru! Pushing over the limit to follow the the others. That often resultet in carfailure and off roads.. Pressure from the team to follow the others.. When that did'nt happen, it can also result in bad selfconfidense and even worse rallies to follow.. Look at Solberg now. No preassure, and just driving what the car, him an Phil can do together.
Hirvonen is lot better then JML of knowing both his and his car limitations, and as you can see, thats not enough.. sadly

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Originally Posted by Magnus

I really beive englandsfahrer and setrial jeff is simplifing things a bit to much. Drivers like Bosse, Solberg, MacRae and many more have had periods during their carreer in which they have crashed a lot. There is a lot of psycological aspects to take into account aswell.

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Of course I simplify things a bit. This is a forum, and there's no way I can get all my thoughts across by writing. Still, that is the root off the problem.

Also, I'm aware others have crashed a lot. But if you look at the nature of the crashes, it was a lot of different things that caused them. Typical of colin was cutting corners too much, crashing out after being on the limit for several stages etc. Petter crashed a lot because he didn't speak english. He simply didn't understand what Phil was saying. Latvala is slightly different. He'll crash out in 6th where everyone else is in 4th, even when he's not pushing.

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Originally Posted by Magnus

To simply say that Latvala is going to fast, or should change his pace notes, is to make thing waaaaay to simple.

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I'm not saying he's not going to fast. Actually, most of the time, he drives well within his capabilities. I have seen him driving in real life, and it's artwork. The problem is when he wrecks the car because he doesn't do what his codriver tells him to, or doesn't trust the pacenotes he wrote.

What makes me annoyed with him is that he knows why he crashes, and doesn't do anything about it. All rally drivers crash. Even Loeb. But that doesn't justify crashing all the time. Just because you have too much pride, or are just too stubborn to start listening to your pacenotes. Too many of Latvala's accidents are because of this. Thankfully he looked a bit scared after this last crash. Maybe, just maybe, he can swallow his pride and trust his codriver on the next rally. Because the only thing stopping him from being really good is the fact that he's not doing that now.

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Originally Posted by Englandsfahrer

No. The problem is that he's an idiot. It's really that simple.


*Rallying has blind corners, preventing him from seeing the braking points.
*He had a double caution
*He's admitted to not wanting to brake before he can see the braking distance even when his pacenotes states differently
*He knows he normally crashes because he doesn't care about his own notes.

Knowing there's a blind corner over a crest, into another corner that he can't see, with a double caution in his pacenotes, and he still goes in flat? AGAIN?

He's got talent, sure, but he's just too stuborn and stupid. He'll never get anywhere unless he finally comprehends the meaning of the words "blind corner", or "blind crest". If he doesn't want to trust his pacenotes, and doesn't want to brake before he can see the corner, he shouldn't be rallying. Instead he should be in rallycross or track racing.

No wait.. Au Rouge is a blind corner. It even killed Stephan Bellhof.



In the end, my respect goes to Miikka Anttila, possibly the bravest codriver in history. Even knowing Latvala doesn't listen to him, he gets in the car with him. I don't know if he doesn't care, or if he hopes to somehow get control over Latvala one day, but he's got to reach the end of the line one day. The big question is; Will he leave, or will Latvala get him killed first?

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Well here's a merry post :mark:

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Originally Posted by Englandsfahrer

Just because you have too much pride, or are just too stubborn to start listening to your pacenotes. Too many of Latvala's accidents are because of this. Thankfully he looked a bit scared after this last crash. Maybe, just maybe, he can swallow his pride and trust his codriver on the next rally. Because the only thing stopping him from being really good is the fact that he's not doing that now.

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I'd like a second opinion.

This time from someone who actually knows Jari-Matti :)

Bringing this old one up again as I think last weekend showed us that time is not up for Jari-Matti.

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Originally Posted by DonJippo

Bringing this old one up again as I think last weekend showed us that time is not up for Jari-Matti.

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Until the next time.

I hope you're right Don, I really hope you're right :)

Considering "listening to pace notes", Miikka Anttila have definitely joined Mieskuoro Huutajat of WRC, as he says. If you compare his voice on their first WRC victory rally Sweden 2008 and now on Sardegna, the difference is loud and clear.

Sweden 2008
Sardegna 2009

Hyvä hyvä - H.Y.V.Ä.