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Latvala buoyed by Ford Focus race experience in Nürburgring 24-hour event

Posted: May 18, 2010 2:23 PM - 3664 Hits

Latvala buoyed by Ford Focus race experience in Nürburgring 24-hour event

Posted: May 18, 2010 2:23 PM

Ford rally star Jari-Matti Latvala is keen for more circuit racing experience after driving a Focus RS in the Nürburgring 24-hour race last weekend. The 25-year-old Finn raced the legendary Nordschleife track in Germany and posted class-leading lap times in his 24-hour race debut.

Latvala, who claimed his third world rally victory in New Zealand the previous weekend, guested in a Ford Focus RS in Germany, prepared by Team FH Köln Motorsport. The team, which was supported by Ford, comprised students from Cologne University of Applied Science who entered and prepared the car.

The team changed the car's engine during the night after the belt drive was damaged by track debris. The time loss ended their challenge for a class victory and the team finished 117th from the 197 starters. But the car's pace matched that of the class leaders and Latvala, who was partnered by Anja Wassertheurer, Daniela Schmid and Stefan Schlesack, completed 29 laps of the 20.8km circuit.

"It was a great experience to race in front of 220,000 fans," he said. "The atmosphere around the track was fantastic, the car worked extremely well and the whole team did an outstanding job. I drove at dusk on Saturday and at dawn on Sunday, but not during the night. That's why I cannot consider myself a true 24-hour race driver yet. There is still a task to be fulfilled …

"After four hours, before we changed the engine, we were in 72nd position and set the fastest lap in our class so it was a shame we had a problem. I drove the final leg and slowed on my last lap so that I reached the finish just after 15.00 and didn't have to drive an extra lap. I was the first car to take the chequered flag – I thought maybe I had won the race!" joked Latvala.

"I will drive four asphalt rallies in the second half of the World Rally Championship season in Bulgaria, Germany, France and Spain. Rally Deutschland, in August, is based quite close to the Nürburgring," he added.

Team manager Jan Derenbach was encouraged by the team's performance.
"After the engine's belt drive was damaged by some debris picked up on the track, we had to change the engine during the night. Our mechanics did an outstanding job, completing the task in just three-and-a- half hours. But obviously this forced break sent us a long way down the overall standings. Before and after that our Ford Focus RS ran like clockwork. Looking at our lap times we could have finished at the very front of our class."

Ford's Dirk Densing, the team's chief engineer, praised the efforts of the students, who transformed the Focus RS from road to race car in just six weeks. The team has already claimed two class victories and a third place in three rounds of the Nürburgring Endurance Championship this season.

"You have to remind yourself constantly that the team FH Köln Motorsport powered by Ford consists of students. I cannot rate highly enough the quality of these young people's work, which was truly professional. It became obvious once more that a 24-hour race is a completely different ball game compared to the regular season events," said Densing.

JARI-MATTI LATVALA TAKES ON NÜRBURGRING WITH THE FOCUS RS
WRC star swaps Focus RS rally car for Focus circuit racer

Posted: April 13, 2010 12:49 PM

Ford's World Rally Championship driver, Jari-Matti Latvala, will tackle this year’s 24-hour race at the Nürburgring (15 - 16 May) in Germany. The BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team driver, who has won two world rallies in his career, will drive a Ford Focus RS prepared by the Team FH Köln Motorsport (students from University of Cologne).

Latvala enjoyed his first taste of the demanding circuit when he competed in Saturday's second round of the VLN (Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring) Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring, after which the 25-year-old was enthusiastic about the infamous 'Green Hell'.

"Obviously my expectations were very high. The Nordschleife has a fearsome reputation and having now driven all of these curves, I can understand the reasons behind that. It demands the utmost respect, but I found the experience to be thrilling. The race isn't going to be relaxing, but they say that a change is as good as a rest. We will soon see what kind of a rest this will be. I am really looking forward to this race," said Latvala.

"I was extremely impressed with the car. I'm used to the four-wheel drive of my Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, but I was genuinely surprised by the good traction available from this front-wheel drive touring car," he added.

It will be the first 24-hour race for the young man from Tuuri, Finland. In fact, prior to Saturday's test drive, he had never even raced on a closed circuit.

However, Latvala has no lack of experience when it comes to competing in fast Ford cars. At the tender age of eight Latvala began to learn his driving skills in an Escort Mk1 on private gravel roads near his home. At 16, he began to compete in rally sprints, and a year later he entered the British Rally Championship.

In 2002 he drove his first world championship event and the following season he sampled a privately-entered Ford Focus RS World Rally Car for the first time. Since 2008, Latvala has driven for the BP Ford Abu Dhabi team in the FIA World Rally Championship. Earlier this month Latvala excelled in demanding conditions to finish second in the Jordan Rally, and currently lies second in the world championship standings.

For Latvala, whose favoured rally surfaces are snow and gravel, the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring will be perfect preparation for the WRC's four asphalt fixtures later this season in Bulgaria, Germany, France and Spain. "With every kilometre of the Nordschleife, Jari-Matti's experience with this kind of surface will grow," said Ford of Europe motorsport chief Gerard Quinn. "That could really help him when he comes to the tricky asphalt rallies later in the WRC season."

Latvala will be partnered by three other experienced circuit drivers during the 24-hour race - Anja Wassertheurer, Daniela Schmid and Stefan Schlesack. Latvala, Wassertheurer and Schmid finished third in class in Saturday's test race.

The Ford Focus RS is being prepared and entered for the race by 20 students from the Cologne University of Applied Science under the guidance of professor graduate engineer Frank Herman. Technical support for Team FH Köln Motorsport is provided by TRW, Dekra, Dunlop and Castrol.

Topics: World Rally Championship 

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