What Jari-Matti Latvala must do to beat Sebastien Ogier in the WRC
Jari-Matti Latvala heads into Rally Sardinia having defeated World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier in Portugal. But is it another false dawn for the Finn? DAVID EVANS looks at the evidence

A couple of days before the start of last month's Rally of Portugal Jari-Matti Latvala described Sebastien Ogier as a piano player.
It was an entirely complimentary analogy relating to the Frenchman's finesse and ability to keep the car on the clean longer and faster than he could.
But could Latvala himself 'play the piano' with his own driving?
"No, no," he smiled. "For me, it's more: 'Bang, bang, now we go!' And if the rear's not following then it's difficult."
Could he learn the piano? Latvala pondered the question, then leaned in.
"Now, I can tell you the story," he said.
"I thought about changing the style. But it was Henning Solberg who told me this wasn't a good idea. He said: 'Jari, you have been driving for too long now, you cannot change the style. Change the car.' He was right."
Suspension and differential work has given the Polo more grip at the rear, building in the kind of progressive predictability that Latvala likes and thrives on.
"I feel comfortable with the car now," he said.
So, what do we make of Latvala's latest win? Breakthrough or false dawn?
The breakthrough was supposed to have come in Finland last year, when he did a real number on Ogier, scoring a 1000 Lakes victory worthy of any one of the heroic countrymen he reveres so readily.
Latvala's natural ability to drive a rally car is now beyond question. He's absolutely as fast as anybody else in the world right now - Ogier included.
It's the peripheral stuff that must remain under the microscope.
He still needs the arm around him to bring the best out of him.
On the crucial long stage on Sunday in Portugal, he thrived on the encouragement of his co-driver Miikka Anttila a handful of miles into the test.
It's hard to imagine Julien Ingrassia telling Ogier how well he was doing between calling notes to the two-time world champion.
That doesn't make Latvala a worse driver, but such reliance on outsiders inevitably makes him more vulnerable. Would he still have won if Anttila hadn't had time for praise?
Ogier was simply brilliant through the first two days in Portugal, playing himself into a potentially winning position in the most difficult of circumstances. Ogier described Sunday as a new rally running on equal terms. The playing field had been levelled. And Latvala won.
With the job all-but done, Ogier expected to win. And when he didn't, his frustration got the better of him. He let rip, complaining bitterly that the best driver hadn't been allowed to win.
In his opinion, and for the avoidance of doubt, the best driver is himself.
The comments were breathtaking. Question was: would they be raised in front of Latvala in the post-event press conference?
Oh yes... by Ogier himself.
"I said at the end of the stage that it was frustrating that the best driver is not winning this weekend," he said. "I say that, but I need also to say this is not the fault of Jari - it's the fault of the rules. It's like that.
"He did the job he had to do to do it. And, especially today, he drove as fast as he could to keep me behind and he did it well."
There you go.
Deal with it. I'm better. You want to beat me? You're going to have to beat the best of the best; take a shot. Dare you...
Latvala will take that shot in Sardinia this weekend.
Follow Rally Sardinia as it happens - plus the Barcelona MotoGP weekend, Toronto IndyCar, Hungaroring Formula Renault 3.5 and more - with AUTOSPORT Race Centre Live from 7am UK time on Friday


Wales Rally GB reveals 2015 World Rally Championship finale route
WRC Italy: Meeke tells Ogier to complain less and be more like Loeb

Latest news
Double F1 race winner Jean Pierre Jabouille has died
Former French Formula 1 driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille has died on Thursday at age 80, French media have reported.
IMSA champion Jarvis to contest full ELMS season with United Autosports
Reigning IMSA Sportscar Championship title-winner Oliver Jarvis will contest the European Le Mans Series with United Autosports alongside Formula 2 convert Marino Sato, in addition to the World Endurance Championship.
20 years on: Porsche’s 911 GT Daytona 24 Hours giant-killing relived
IMSA’s new GTP class for LMDh cars had a more auspicious debut last weekend than the Daytona Prototypes that arrived in 2003. Back then, they were humbled by a GT Porsche 911, which won the Floridian sportscar classic by nine laps.
Entries open for the 2023 Williams Autosport Engineer of the Future Award story
Entries have opened for the 2023 Williams Autosport Engineer of the Future Award, with budding motorsport engineers invited to apply for the revamped prize.
Why Monte Carlo success could spark another past master’s WRC revival
Some 39 years on from his Monte Carlo Rally debut, World Rally Championship legend Francois Delecour continues to pick up silverware. Proving that age is purely a number, the 60-year-old's desire to compete against the WRC’s latest young talents could be the start of a new chapter in the Frenchman’s storied career
How fired-up Ogier became the WRC's ultimate Monte master
He may only be contesting a part-time campaign in the World Rally Championship these days, but Sebastien Ogier underlined that he's lost none of his speed in the 2023 season opener. Storming to yet another victory on the Monte Carlo Rally, the eight-time world champion rewrote the history books again as Toyota served notice of its intentions with a crushing 1-2
How Lancia pulled off its famous Monte Carlo giantkilling
Audi should have been invincible in the snowy conditions that typically greeted the World Rally Championship paddock in Monte Carlo. But unexpectedly warm weather for the 1983 season opener, combined with some left-field thinking from the Lancia crew turned the tables. Forty years on, team boss Cesare Fiorio reflects on a smash and grab
Why M-Sport has pinned all its efforts on a WRC reunion
M-Sport had a disastrous 2022 with its Rally1 Ford Pumas following Sebastien Loeb’s first-time-out win on the Monte. But now things are looking up with 2019 world champion Ott Tanak leading its attack, and the Cumbrian operation has optimism that it can challenge for a first title since Sebastien Ogier's departure at the end of 2018
The contenders seeking to take Rovanpera's WRC crown
As Kalle Rovanpera begins his World Rally Championship title defence in Monte Carlo, the Finn knows he has a target on his back. But who is best placed to knock the Toyota ace off his perch?
Why Rovanpera is anticipating a fight to defend his WRC title
Question: what could be harder than becoming the youngest-ever World Rally champion? Answer: becoming the youngest-ever two-time World Rally champion. That's quite the challenge facing Toyota's Kalle Rovanpera in 2022, particularly against rejuvenated opposition in the second year of the WRC's hybrid regulations
From F1 to WRC: Why Hyundai's new boss could be an inspired signing
OPINION: New Hyundai WRC team boss Cyril Abiteboul admits he’s got a lot to learn as he leads the marque's efforts to dethrone Toyota. But could his Formula 1 experience and evident strengths mean he turns out to be an inspired choice?
The ultimate rally car project the WRC is glad COVID killed
Toyota was unstoppable in the 2021 World Rally Championship, with an excellent 75% strike rate from 12 rallies. But in a scary proposition for its rivals, the Japanese marque had built a car for the final year of the previous regulations set which it believes was much faster and could feasibly have crushed the opposition completely. Here the story of its mothballed world-beater
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.