Jari-Matti Latvala doesn't want Sami Pajari to play it safe. The Toyota team principal has given the young Finn the green light for an all-or-nothing approach for the remainder of Rally Sardinia, after a gruelling first day on the gravel.
Pajari currently sits fifth, 40 seconds adrift of rally leader Thierry Neuville. Meanwhile, his Toyota teammate Oliver Solberg impressed in third, just 12.3 seconds behind the Belgian. Championship leader Elfyn Evans had to settle for sixth after opening the road and losing over a minute.
“I told Sami before the rally that whatever happens here will not affect his overall position within this team. I told him, ‘You have the freedom to drive exactly as you want,’” Latvala revealed to RallyJournal.com.
That freedom is no accident. Latvala knows that sweeping the gravel in Sardinia is a nightmare. Evans and Pajari, starting first and second, had to clean the line and lost valuable time. In contrast, Solberg, starting third, benefited from a cleaner road.
“The day was as expected. The first two drivers on the road, Elfyn and Sami, lost ground because it is difficult to sweep the road here. It was clear that starting third on the road allowed more scope to attack, and Oliver took advantage of the situation,” Latvala explained.
Latvala also praised Solberg's ability to balance bravery and calculation. “You could see it in Oliver’s driving. But it takes a lot and it is difficult because it is very slippery here. You have to find the right level of courage to push, but at the same time you cannot be too brave because it is difficult from those road positions. Oliver managed it really well,” he added.
With Evans still leading the championship, Pajari and Solberg have a chance to apply pressure. Latvala hopes both can capitalise on better start positions on Saturday. Rally Sardinia still has six special stages remaining, and the fight for the world title is heating up.
For Pajari, this is a golden opportunity to showcase his quality without the burden of expectations. The pressure is off, and now it's about using the speed of the GR Yaris Rally1 to close the gap.
Baca Juga
Thierry Neuville rebut pimpinan Rally Italia Sardegna dari Adrien Fourmaux, Hyundai 1-2. Pertarungan gelar WRC makin sengit setelah hari pertama.
Sami Pajari lebih cepat dari Elfyn Evans di WRC, tapi kecewa usai disalip Sebastien Ogier di stage terakhir. Simak analisis dan komentarnya.
Thierry Neuville merebut pimpinan Rally Sardinia dari Adrien Fourmaux dengan selisih tipis 0,4 detik. Elfyn Evans tetap memimpin klasemen WRC sementara.
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