Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala wants to try and get on the podium on the Neste Oil Rally Finland next week. by Rob Wilkins

BP Ford Abu Dhabi's Jari-Matti Latvala has said that he will be gunning for a top-three finish on the Neste Oil Rally Finland next week, his home round in the World Rally Championship.

Latvala finished the first half of the season with a strong runners-up spot in Turkey - his fourth rostrum result of the year, and now the youngster is eager to add a fifth to his tally on the Jyvaskyla-based event.

Speaking exclusively to Crash.net Radio recently, Jari added that he would like to be able to fight for the win too. Whatever the case, he will definitely want to do better than last year, when he went off and failed to finish.

"Of course there is a little bit of pressure. It is our home rally and to win Rally Finland is always very important for the team. But the main thing is that I finish in the top three," he noted. "I will not be disappointed if I can't win - although of course it will be nice if I can fight for the victory."

Asked what it would mean to him to take his second WRC win there, Latvala admitted it would be a 'big, big moment' - although not as big as his maiden win back in February in Sweden.

"Winning in Finland would be more special than winning any other rally in a way because it is the most difficult and the most high-speed event in the WRC," he continued. "You have to drive perfectly without any mistakes because if you do make an error it is so difficult to catch the others up after that.

"The level of those roads and the competition means if you do get on the podium it is special. Of course it wouldn't be as special [if I win there] as my win in Sweden though as that was my first victory and people say that is something you never forget."

Finland is regarded as one of the classic events in the WRC and it is one of the most specialised, favouring the locals who have grown up competing on these types of stages.

"There are a lot of rallying fans here. There is always have a very good atmosphere and we have very nice stages. People go sideways over the jumps and there is a lot of interest for the spectators - it is a real spectacle.

"Also a lot of people come over from other countries too. Plus with the roads being very fast it is good for the drivers' as well and a real challenge."

As for the first part of the year, Latvala noted that he was pretty pleased with how things went and that the miles gained with the Ford 'A' team should stand him in good stead ahead of the final seven rounds.

"Of course the experience will help because we have had some good results and lots of kilometres. We have done a lot of testing too. It is easier then to prepare for the second half of the season. The last rally in Turkey went really well and that has taken a bit of pressure off me. I feel comfortable going into the second half of the season. There are some very nice gravel events coming up," he summed-up.

TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW IN FULL WITH JARI-MATTI LATVALA: CLICK HERE