Press release 28.3.2012

World-class rally driver Jari-Matti Latvala and Essilor Finland are cooperating closely on high-performance eyewear. Thanks to Essilor’s expertise in corrective lens and optics, Latvala’s new driving glasses may just give him the winning edge in the World Rally Championship.
“We provided Jari-Matti Latvala with four driving glasses that improve his vision in all conditions. We aimed to find the optimum solution by using as few as possible lenses. This was because changing eyeglasses in the middle of a race is not an option for rally drivers,” says optician Vesa Vaine, Country Manager at Essilor Finland.  

The year-long partnership between Latvala and Essilor Finland resulted in four unique driving glasses with specialized Essilor lenses: bright (Orma Crizal Forte), yellow (Orma Kiros Crizal Forte), brown (Orma Extreme Crizal Forte) and the newest lens, Inuit Optifog Sun, for long lasting fog-free vision.

“From the starting grid, we’ve worked together closely to find the best possible solution. A rally driver has to have excellent eyesight because you never know what’s around the next hairpin turn. Driving conditions also vary immensely. In Rally Sweden, I used yellow lenses to navigate the snow-clogged stages, while brown lenses were up to the job in Mexico’s scorching sunlight,” says Jari-Matti Latvala.

White light is composed of all the...