Action unfolded at the historic rally event as veteran driver Francois Delecour successfully conquered World Rally Championship legend Jari-Matti Latvala. Competing in the iconic event for the very first time, Latvala watched as the French driver claimed overall victory by more than a minute ahead of Poland's Maciej Lubiak. The weekend delivered intense drama, featuring technical hurdles and language adaptations across the challenging Italian tarmac.
Despite showing blistering pace during Saturday's special stages, Latvala ultimately secured third position overall. His podium ambitions took a major hit on Friday evening when an overran service period resulted in a costly one-minute-and-ten-second time penalty. Partnering with Japanese co-driver Tomiya Maekawa for the Italian event added another layer of complexity to their campaign.
The duo faced unique communication hurdles as it marked their inaugural experience relying entirely on English pace notes. Navigating unfamiliar roads without prior asphalt testing for three months demanded absolute trust in the notes, creating initial hesitation for the experienced competitor as the winding tarmac roads left no room for error.
Detailing the early struggles to RallyJournal, the Finnish driver admitted the steep learning curve involved in processing foreign pace notes under pressure. “This was my first rally with Tomiya using English. I had also never been to Sanremo, and I hadn’t even tested on asphalt for three months. At first, I simply couldn’t process the English and found it difficult to trust the notes. The road is constantly turning here and you drive entirely on the notes,” he explained.
Gradually, the partnership clicked into gear by Friday afternoon as confidence grew following minor car setups. Although gearbox mechanical issues and the subsequent penalty hampered their final result, Latvala walked away satisfied with his strong recovery and the valuable experience gained on the final day of competition.
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