Capito: There are no easy rallies

Events at last weekend’s ADAC Rallye Deutschland have served as a timely reminder about how unpredictable and challenging the WRC can be, according to VW Motorsport boss Jost Capito.

VW drivers Sebastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala [pictured above] started as favourites for victory on Germany’s asphalt stages, but both men crashed out while leading the event.

It was a disappointing end to the German manufacturer’s home rally, particularly as it could have wrapped up the FIA World Rally Championship Manufacturers’ title on the event. The retirements of Ogier and Latvala also brought the team’s record-breaking run of 12 successive rally wins to an abrupt end.

But Capito believes Rallye Deutschland showed that teams should take nothing for granted on the WRC stages.

“There are no easy rallies. This one is very tricky and a lot of things happened – not only to us,” he told wrc.com. “I would say that none of the real fast drivers did the whole rally, including shakedown, without a mistake.

“That shows how high the level of competition is. These guys go absolutely flat out and in these conditions and in this kind of competition mistakes happen. Some are more lucky and some are unlucky. It seems that we are not really lucky in our home event.”

Latvala’s retirement came on the final morning at Rallye Deutschland when he was trying to add to an already commanding 50-second lead. Victory would have significantly reduced the 45-point gap between Latvala and Ogier in the race for the drivers’ championship.

Capito admitted he was concerned that the timing of Latvala’s exit could affect the Finn heading into the next event at Coates Hire Rally Australia (11-14 October).

“I think this will hit Jari-Matti very hard. We need to talk and, together with [Latvala’s psychological coach] Christophe Treier I think they need to work very hard before Australia,” Capito said. “But I think it can be done. It’s not the first time he’s been in this position and he’s recovered before.”