The previous occasion when a member of the Solberg family and a representative from the Latvala family competed against each other in Rally Finland took place a significant number of years ago: precisely 12 years ago. In the year 2012, Petter Solberg and Jari-Matti Latvala were the drivers of the two factory Fords. Latvala emerged victorious, but in reality, neither driver achieved success, as Citroën claimed a 1-2 finish with Sébastien Loeb and Mikko Hirvonen.
Fast forward to the year 2024, and Oliver Solberg managed to secure a win for the Solberg clan by defeating Latvala and emerging as the winner in the WRC2 category.
Oliver Solberg expressed his delight in competing against Jari-Matti Latvala, stating that the battle with him held a special significance for him throughout the entire weekend. He recalled his time in 2012 when he was part of the Ford team, and Latvala was a younger driver. Solberg reminisced about Latvala being his idol and always being kind and pleasant. He also mentioned Latvala’s father and described that period as a great time. Therefore, racing against Latvala held immense importance for Solberg.
The expectations prior to the race did not foresee Solberg and Latvala competing against each other. The general belief was that Solberg would set the standard, and Latvala would secure a position near the top, but not necessarily at the forefront. Latvala himself had stated that he would have been content with a top-five finish in his first-ever WRC event using Rally2 machinery. However, Solberg did not share this view. Even before the competition began, Solberg believed that Latvala would be his main rival.
The fact that Jari-Matti Latvala, who is now 39 years old and currently serves as Toyota’s team principal, was highly competitive did not surprise Solberg. Solberg acknowledged that Latvala extensively tests and prepares for rallies, given his role in the Toyota team. Moreover, Latvala’s familiarity with the roads, having won Rally Finland twice, made him one of the fastest drivers in the world, according to Solberg. Solberg further stated that Latvala was not far behind in the previous year’s Rally1 event. Therefore, Solberg had informed everyone before the rally that Latvala would be his main competitor.
Ultimately, Solberg triumphed over Latvala by a margin of 39.0 seconds. However, it is worth noting that Latvala’s spin during the second pass of Ouninpohja likely prevented the gap from being reduced by half. Latvala, on the other hand, expressed surprise at his own competitiveness. He described it as a positive surprise, considering that he initially aimed for a position within the top five. Latvala also acknowledged the small gaps between drivers and the high level of competition. He commended Oliver Solberg’s strength in the WRC2 class and praised his performance throughout the year.
The question arises as to whether Latvala will participate in the GR Yaris Rally2 again. Latvala expressed his desire to drive more if given the opportunity, as he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. However, there are currently no plans in place for his return. Nevertheless, Latvala is already contemplating his participation in Rally Finland in 2025. He explained that next year will mark his 20th start in Rally Finland, coinciding with his 40th birthday, making it a significant milestone that he feels compelled to celebrate by competing in the event.
Photo from Jari-Matti Latvala Instagram
