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| SATURDAY, MAY 24 |
| LATVALA WANTS A NEW VICTORY IN SARDINIA |
24/05/2014 - It takes 10 days to Rally Italia Sardegna and Jari-Matti Latvala remembers with pleasure his recent win in Argentina. "I drove well and fast, no mistakes - he says - Very important it´s been day one when I was able to put quite e gap behind me. Day two was good and also the Power Stage El Condor, despite the thick fog on both days".
Latvala´s good performances on gravel were born in Sardinia. "I found a perfect feeling with the car - adds the Finn - during the tests we did in Sardinia after Easter. There I was able to find the good front set up on the car that allowed me to drive at my best, the Polo in Argentina was really just perfect. Then Christopher Treier, my psychological trainer, did the rest of the job. He was with in Carlos Paz and gave me the right drive".
How has started the partnership with Gronholm´s ex "mind coach"? «Jost Capito who knew him when Marcus was in Ford, called him and also engineer Demaison agreed, it was a teams´ idea after all. Actually he helps me to relax and get concentrated just on driving. He makes me talk, explain my problems so I get to the start of the race quite calm. It´s something really useful and my results show´s it". Right now Sébastien Ogier is leading the World Rally Championship standings with 24 points over the Finnish driver. A gap easy to recover for Jari-Matti, who this season is very resolute and has 39 points more compared to last year and doesn´t hide his will to head for the World Drivers´ Title. Ogier is aware that if his team-mate wins also in Sardinia life is going to be difficult for him. Latvala this time believes that climb to victory is possible. "Now the game is open. After Rally Portugal I didn´t have the chances I have now. The forthcoming events are Sardinia, Poland and Finland, three of my favourite races. I have to try winning in Sardinia. Is going to be an endurance race like in Argentina, long and tough, but I´m confident".
The race. The 2014 edition of Rally Italia Sardegna, 5 to 8 June, provides 372 timed kilometres divided in 17 Special Stages. This year for the first time the town of Alghero will host the Rally HQ, the Service Park and the Press Office. The race is going to start with the 3.50 km long Shakedown on June 5th in the morning at Putifigari. On the same day (June 5th) the Ceremonial Start will take place in Cagliari, the regional capital of Sardinia will also host, at the port area, the 1.30 kilometres long Super Special Stage at 09,06 pm. On June 6th, 7th and 8th the programme will take participants to the gravel roads of Monte Acuto, of the Sassari, Anglona and Nurra provinces, for the three legs of the event, which will finish on Sunday June 8th with the Final Arrival and Prizegiving Ceremony at Alghero port.
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