Originally Posted by
EstWRC
some interesting bits in recent interviews with Tommi and Latvala in estonian media (at least for me)
ill start with Latvala
You have been in the same team with two title contenders, with Tänak and Ogier. How different they are?
Lets say Ogier doesnt focus so much on details as Tänak. Of course behind the wheel Ogier is very focused but out of the car he doesnt focus so much on little details. But they both are very similar, very determined and unbelievably hard workers. I have seen now that Tänak works on every little detail, he has his personal trainer, he is following his diet very very closely. It all starts from little things.
How did you come out of your low time this season?
By the way, for the first time in my career I had to use super-rally system, in five rallies! In fact, I could not finish two of these five - Corsica and Argentina. If you do not get a result in half a year, you will start to doubt. The only way to return is by concentrating and persuading yourself. First of all, I needed a top five result, so I got something to build on this result. But this requires faith. And it takes time.
Your renewal with Toyota was revealed only during the Welsh rally. Were you afraid that your contract would not be extended?
Of course. Spring was very scary time for me. If you had asked me before rally Finland, I would have replied to you that maybe I will not continue. After Kris Meeke's dismissal I was still behind him in the general standings. That was not the best time for me.
I thought then that now I'm next. Everyone has tough times, but the question is how long it lasts. Thinking of Thierry and Sebastien, Rally Finland's was a disaster for them, but in the Germany they were quik again. In Wales at one point it looked that Sebastien was out of the game but then he came back. However, this is the key to the world title. That the bad times dont last too long and you climb out of it quickly.
After Wales rally Citroën announced that Esapekka Lapp will be driving in their team besides Sebastien Ogier. Esapekka has said that Toyota he was no longer comfortable and the team did not pay enough attention to him. Do you agree? Do you also feel that Ott has attracted the attention of the entire team?
Personally, I have had the maximum team support, but I can not deny that when Ott arrived, things changed slightly. We knew that he was fast and the main focus now is more on him. This is a normal situation: if youre not the leading driver then less attention will be paid to you. Last year, we had no one that could compete on behalf of the world title. Now we have Ott. However, this isnt something new to me, since I've been teammates with Sebastien, but for Esapekka it was a completely new situation.
Do you already have a list of what changes have to be made on the car for next year?
We have already changed a few things before the last rally, and I am very happy about it. We tried to do everything in order to be completely satisfied with the car and I would be comfortable, but this journey has been long. Of course, there are still some nuances that should be corrected, but we say that the major changes have been made. And these have been important milestones.
What were these changes?
I can not tell you these details because this information is spreading very fast. Neuville will read this interview and put ideas behind his ear. However, I can say that we have hardly worked on the differentials. And, of course, on the suspension.
and now the Tommi part
Next year Toyota will have three leading-drivers - Tänak, Latvala and Meeke all want to win and to be World champions. Is it good if there is no number two and three in the team?
Latvala and Meeke are clever and experienced drivers and know how things are working. We had long discussions with them before signing about teamwork and how to succeed together. On the other hand, you never know how all this will fall out. I believe we can handle it. One of the reasons why I wanted Meeke myself - he is very famous in the rally world and especially in Europe. Rally fans love Meeke. He has many followers - the very first video where Meeke tested Toyota already got impressive number of viewers. So hiring Meeke is also a part of Toyota's reputation project design.
Do you want see to points or wins from Kris?
First of all points. Both Meeke and Latvala are at such a level that they can be on podium on every rally. But Ott can win every rally. So we can say that we have roles shared, we have the strongest and most experienced drivers, and a great opportunity to win both championships.
We start with Monte Carlo rally and let's see what the situation will be, and then decide. However, Meeke's "best before" is running out. Also, Latvala has been in the series for a very long time and im not sure how long he will continue.
The experts are saying that the supertalent Kalle Rovanpera will be in Toyota in 2020 and Tänak will continue.
There is no contract with Rovanpera yet and no new agreement has been signed with Ott. Unfortunately, because I want both to be in Toyota for a long time. On the other hand, it's clear that the earlier contracts are signed the better, everyone would have a secure future, tensions down, and a team could focus on full-time work.
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