Latvala to help Solberg’s title push

Jari-Matti Latvala has vowed to play the team game when the FIA World Rally Championship resumes on Neste Oil Rally Finland next month.

Latvala (pictured left with Solberg) has ruled himself out of contention for this season’s drivers’ crown following a frustrating campaign behind the wheel of the factory Ford Fiesta RS WRC he shares with co-driver Miikka Anttila.

He will now do all he can to help team-mate Petter Solberg’s bid to narrow the gap to Citroen’s title leader Sebastien Loeb, who is 55 points in front of Solberg with six events remaining.

“I am out from the drivers’ championship, this is a fact,” Latvala told Motorsport News. “But, for sure, as long as we have a chance to fight for the manufacturers’ championship, we are going to do that and, of course, I will help Petter if he gets the chance. Having said that, it’s not looking so easy for Petter now, but I helped [former team-mate] Mikko [Hirvonen] last year and I will do the same with my team-mate this season.”

Any points Latvala is able to deprive Citroen will be vital for Ford’s manufacturers’ championship ambitions. The Blue Oval has a 93-point deficit to Citroen following last month’s Brother Rally New Zealand where the French make scored a one-two finish.