Esapekka Lappi started the second stage of the Swedish Rally knowing full well that he would have to sweat the classic 7 shirts to try to bring home what would be the second victory of his career in the WRC, but instead he ended the day as the undisputed leader, with the count at the downturn has already begun, separating him from the finish line and the champagne already put on ice… in the Swedish snow.
The Hyundai Motorsport driver saw the doors to success on SS10 open wide when Takamoto Katsuta, in an attempt to make up ground on him, made a mistake and ended up crashing into a snowdrift, getting stuck.
The Japanese had no choice but to take off his helmet and give up, also due to the damage sustained to the engine cooling system of his GR Yaris due to the impact against the snow wall that marked the test route.
A minor mistake that had enormous consequences. A terrible disappointment for Katsuta, because he had all the credentials – race pace included – to aspire to bring home the first victory of his career in the WRC. The frame of the day, but probably that of the race, was Lappi's passage to the point where Katsuta was stuck in the snow. A handover that could lead the Finn to win the second race almost 7 years after the first.
If the fight for victory seems already defined, the situation involving Adrien Fourmaux and Elfyn Evans is very different. Today the two did not spare themselves to try to finish in second place for the points assignment which took place this evening and the French driver from M-Sport came out on top thanks to a splendid defense against the Welshman from Toyota Gazoo Racing.
Fourth place of the day for Thierry Neuville who mounted a good comeback that took him from 14th place to fourth after the engine problem that penalized him yesterday, taking him out of the Top 10.
Oliver Solberg ends the day as leader of the WRC2 and in fifth place overall due to the various retirements that affected the Rally1s, including those of Kalle Rovanpera, Ott Tanak and Takamoto Katsuta. The Norwegian has a minute lead on the first of his pursuers, Sami Pajari with the first of the 4 Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Behind them Georg Linnamae, Roope Korhonen and Mikko Heikkila. Lauri Joona closes the Top 10 with the second Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 ahead of Lorenzo Bertelli's GR Yaris Rally1, just outside the points zone.
The second stage of the Rally Sweden ends here. The race will start again tomorrow morning with Special Stage 16, the 25.50 kilometer Västervik 1. The first car will enter testing at 7:27 am Italian time.
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