Puncture woe for Jari-Matti Latvala

Drama on final loop in Sweden as front right puncture in SS22 costs rally leader Jari-Matti Latvala over 20 seconds...
Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) Miikka Anttila(FIN), Ford Fiesta, FORD WRT
Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) Miikka Anttila(FIN), Ford Fiesta, FORD WRT
© PHOTO 4

Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala has seen his advantage on Rally Sweden slashed after he su𓂃ffered a puncture in SS22.

Latvala had been see💟mingly on course for a comfortab💖le win, but he hit a rock in Lesjofors 2 and lost over 20 seconds. As a result his lead over his former team-mate Mikko Hirvonen has been reduced from 35.6 seconds to 8.4 seconds, setting things up for a dramatic final two stages.

"There is a rock I've never, ever seen on this stage," Latvala told the offic🧔ial WRC site. "It's just come through the ruts on the big wide road. I only felt it when I hit it.

"Now♐ we need to push. It should be quite okay still though. I have to go flat-out."

Meanwhile in the very same test, Latvala's team-mate Petter Solberg also lost time with a front rig💙ht pౠuncture. The Norwegian now drops to fourth, 25.4 seconds behind Mads Ostberg.

"There's just a lot of rocks🌺 out there. I touched one and that's it. Very disappointing," 'Hollywood' commented.

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