WRC Act II: Clarity

Jari-Matti Latvala won't be the star of the 2011 WRC story but he's already stirred the drink. He may win the Best Supporting Actor award.

WRC Act II: Clarity
By Bill  Wood

When we last looked in on the 2011 World Rally Championship season we were in the intermission between the second and third act of Winnin' Time. Seven-time defending champion Sebastien Loeb was tied with challenger Mikko Hirvonen at the sharp end of the standings after the tarmac of Rally France.

Now jump to Act II where the storyline flexes and the challenger falls into the abyss of agony without the thrill of victory promised on Wide World of Sports. That happened last weekend where Sebastien Loeb won his seventh Rally Spain, a mixed surface event filled with choking dust in the pre-dawn and post-dusk on Friday. There was dirt, gravel, fog, rain, paper smooth pavement and acute turns that most of us would need three or four moves to navigate.

Now, after some rain in Spain, there's clarity.

Understand that Mikko Hirvonen, a Finn in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, learned to drive on gravel. It's part of a right of passage in Finland. His comfort level on tarmac is minimal. It's part of his frustration, no doubt, that his latest challenge for the WRC title turned on two pavement events in France and Spain. His latest challenge also turned on team orders. Mikko's teammate, Jari-Matti Latvala, also a Finn in a Fiesta, recently dedicated himself to conquering his issues with pavement rallying. Latvala began the final day Sunday in a strong second place following an inspired performance which he described as his best performance on asphalt.

Follow me here. Latvala isn't a slouch by any stretch. He finished second in the WRC points standings last year and was fourth in points this year heading into Rally Spain. He's won four WRC events. But something clicked for Latvala in France and he was flying on the pavement there. He brought those same new skills to Spain where he was also turning in incredible stage times. After the first 12 special stages Saturday evening Latvala had won five tests to Loeb's four. When the cameras and microphones came on Saturday night Loeb's comments expressed concern about Latvala more than Hirvonen.

"It was a good fight with Jari-Matti nearly all the way," Loeb said after the event. Was he surprised by Latvala's constant pace?

“Yes he was really fast on the Tarmac stages. He was really pushing hard especially (Saturday) and we had to drive on a very high level rhythm to match his time so it was really a good fight. It made it good for me because I had to stay in the right rhythm. It was interesting and I think he is a good driver for the future."

Then came the six stages on Sunday and the rally turned inside out. Loeb's Citroen teammate Sebastien Ogier won two stages before his engine failed. And the rest were scattered one each between Latvala, Loeb, Hirvonen and MINI WRC driver Kris Meeke who won some notoriety taking the final televised Power Stage. In short, Loeb exerted his consistent excellence on the field throughout the weekend and ended with an eight point lead over Hirvonen going into the final event of the year at Rally Great Britain November 10-13.

Hirvonen says he needs a perfect rally in Wales next month if he is to prevent Loeb winning the championship. He says he's confident he is up to the challenge. Hirvonen made massive gains in the title race since Rally Germany in August. But Loeb edged away again by winning in Spain last weekend. Now Mikko's success may depend on his winning the rally as well as the bonus points from the Power Stage at the end.

"It's going to be a tough one," Hirvonen acknowledged. "Everything needs to be perfect there."

Mikko Hirvonen will carry the Blue Oval from the Spanish tarmac to the gravel roads in the Welsh Forests of Rally Great Britain next month. He'll have more comfort on the gravel, believe me!

Sebastien Loeb is on the cusp of winning his eighth consecutive WRC title. This might be the best driver in the world. You should enjoy this history even if you're not a rally fan.