Co-driven by fellow Finn Miikka Anttila in a Volkswagen Polo R WRC, Latvala set a best time of 2m26.1 seconds on the 4.19-kilometre Laajavuori stage close to the event service park in Jyväskylä.
”Shakedown is about finding the feeling with the car,” Latvala said. ”In Poland I didn’t have the best feeling and you could see that in shakedown because my time was slower and then I didn’t start the rally so well. The most important thing here is that I have the feeling, I am feeling good and you can see that in the time. I am confident with the car and now I am ready for the rally.”
Mads Østberg, who prepared for Finland’s round of the WRC by winning the Neste Oil Rally Helsinki Battle last weekend, was second quickest, the Norwegian taking 2m26.7s to complete the stage in his factory Citroën DS3 WRC. ”I’m happy with the set-up and confident with the car,” said Østberg.
Latvala’s Volkswagen Motorsport team-mate, Andreas Mikkelsen, was third fastest, 0.9s slower than the pacesetting Finn with Henning Solberg next up in his M-Sport-prepared Ford Fiesta RS WRC in a time of 2m27.7s. Pascal Couasnon, the director of Michelin Motorsport, accompanied Mikkelsen for his fastest run.
Mikko Hirvonen, who turns 34 today, was fifth fastest for M-Sport followed by Juho Hänninen, the top Hyundai Motorsport driver, in sixth. Afterwards, M-Sport team boss Malcolm Wilson said: ”We had no issues but we’re probably not as quick as we want to be. We know the car is good here from last year and it’s probably our best opportunity to get a really strong result. I don’t think we can win but if we can be really strong then it will be good for Mikko and the team.”
Ex-grand prix racer Robert Kubica was seventh, Kris Meeke eighth, Jarkko Nikara ninth and reigning world champion and last year’s Neste Oil Rally Finland winner Sébastien Ogier 10th. However, spokesperson for Ogier’s Volkswagen time confirmed ”all was fine” for the WRC title leader, despite his slower than usual time.
Shakedown took place in warm and dry conditions. The first of 26 stages, Lankamaa, gets underway at 16:08 local time.
