LONDON - Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala will replace retired compatriot Marcus Gronholm at Ford's main team next season, the world rally champions announced today.
Latvala, 22, moves up to a full works drive after competing in a privately-entered Stobart Ford this year. He will partner Mikko Hirvonen in 2008,with Ford keeping an all-Finnish line-up.
Hirvonen will become the team's lead driver.
"He (Latvala) has gained confidence by the day and has developed into the most promising driver in the WRC this season," said Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson in a statement.
"His performances on the second half of the season put him in pole position for the drive.
"Marcus and Mikko have worked wonderfully together and I hope that Mikko will pass on to Jari-Matti the experience he has learned," he added.
Latvala finished third in last month's Rally Ireland and eighth overall in the championship.
Gronholm, a double world champion, retired after finishing runner-up to Citroen's French champion Sebastien Loeb. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Peter Rutherford)
