Latvala praises WRC safety measures

The Finn said that safety improvements in the World Rally Championship saved his life after he rolled his Focus RS WRC 08 17 times on the fourth stage of rally this morning.

Latvala, who was leading at the time of the crash, said he and co-driver Miikka Anttila were lucky to walk away from an accident which would have killed them 10 years ago.

"It was very, very frightening," said the Finn, who celebrates his 24th birthday today. "I was too fast over a crest into a tight left corner. I tried to throw the car into the corner, but it didn't work. We went over the armco and started to roll down a bank.

"We rolled and rolled. I don't know how many times, but I had time during the accident to think about how it might end and what might happen. It was not nice."

Amateur footage supplied to North One Television has revealed the Ford rolled 17 times before coming to rest against a tree halfway through the morning's final stage.

"When we were rolling, I could see the roll cage getting lower and lower and coming towards me," said Latvala. "When you have an accident like this, you think it's going to stop, the noise is going to stop soon, but this time it didn't, it just kept on happening.

"The work the FIA and Ford have done definitely helped Miikka and I walk away from it. That wouldn't have happened 10 or 20 years ago. The work on side impact, the seats, everything has helped and I have to say a very big thank you for that."

Ford team principal Malcolm Wilson added: "The strength of the car we've built saved their lives, for that we are eternally grateful. That's the only positive thing to say."