Jari-Matti Latvala

After two seasons with the Castrol-backed BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, 2010 could be the year in which Jari-Matti Latvala breaks out to showcase his exceptional natural talent.

After running in club races and rallies in Finland, Latvala moved to the UK at the age of 17 to start a full-time rallying career. From 2003 to 2006, he competed in a broad range of events – including numerous World Rally Championship outings – in a wealth of Super 1600, Group N and WRC cars as he looked to gain experience.

Full-time WRC ride

An impressive fourth-place in the 2006 season-ending Rally GB with the Stobart VK Ford team prompted a full-time move into the WRC with the outfit in 2007.

"Latvala showed he was happy to mix it at the sharp end"

Latvala quickly settled into his new role and showed he was happy to mix it at the sharp end by leading in Italy, Finland and Japan, before finishing third in the penultimate event of the year - Rally Ireland.

For 2008 Latvala stepped up to the BP-Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team alongside Mikko Hirvonen, quickly taking a commanding victory in Sweden to make him the youngest driver ever to win a WRC event.

Latvala and co-driver Miikka Anttila (right)

Further podiums followed in Mexico, Italy, Turkey, Japan and GB, putting the Finn a strong fourth in the standings at the end of the year.

Highs and lows

As with all forms of motorsport, progress can be peppered with lows as well as highs, and 2009 proved to be a testing experience for Latvala. With only one win in Italy, several retirements and a particularly large crash in Portugal – where Latvala and co-driver Anttila rolled down the side of a 150m hill – the Finnish ace was only able to score 41 points, placing him fourth in the drivers’ standings.

But if past experience is anything to go by, 2010 could well be a different affair, with Latvala keen to keep his exuberance in check and bring the championship back to the Blue Oval.