Esapekka Lapi’s early season in the World Rally Championship has been two-fold.
Esapekka Lappi will get the next chance to prove his reliability as Toyota’s third driver in the Finnish World Rally Championship. PDO
Esapekka Lappi started well by riding in the snow of Sweden to third place in February, but in April in Croatia and in June in Sardinia, there were interruptions. On the other hand, after the basic performance, sixth place came out of July’s Estonian World Rally Championship.
– The pace has been good everywhere, it’s positive. Estonia had perhaps a slightly calmer approach to the race in general, when the goal was to reach the finish line for sure. The other races, as I said, the pace has been good, but of course the two suspensions are not good things, Lappi summarizes the first half of the year for Iltalehti.
– On the other hand, nothing could be done about Sardinia’s interruption, but Croatia could have been avoided. Maybe it was such a lack of routine. Still, I’d put the early season a bit on the minor winning side.
As the year turns to autumn, the speculation about next season’s jobs also begins in the World Rally Championship. What does Lappi think about next year’s driving opportunities?
– I don’t really know, I haven’t even thought about it yet. For sure, if I drive outside in all the remaining races, I hardly need to drive next year. It has to be reasonable, but I don’t need to prove speed anymore. It has certainly been proven already, Pieksämäkeläinen states.
Team mate Kalle Rovanperä has taken a whopping five victories out of the seven World Rally Championships he has driven. A young Finnish driver has left everyone in the shadows with his fast tricks.
– There are no words to describe the whole thing anymore. I think he’s tougher than the two Sebastien (Loeb and Ogier) at least in a certain way. Of course, the number of achievements cannot be compared, but the dominance is starting to be there, Lappi sighs.
– I don’t know if he is driving at full speed, but his own speed is enough at the moment. He knows how to drive at that speed all the time steadily and reliably.
Lappi will get the next chance to prove his reliability as Toyota’s third driver in next week’s Finnish World Rally Championship. The Finn will also be at the starting line on the Belgian asphalt in August. Lapland will share the third car from Toyota’s factory garage this year as a multi champion Sebastien Ogier’s with.