the finn Esapekka Lappi (Hyundai) is the first leader of the Italy-Sardinia Rallythe sixth round of the World Championship, after setting the best time on Thursday in a short 3.23-kilometer super special held outside Olbia with a mix of asphalt and gravel and jump sectors.
Lappi32 years old and who in 2017 signed his first and only World Cup victory by winning the Finland Rally, set a time of 2:24.9 minutes on Thursday and was 2 tenths ahead of the Estonian Ott Tanak (Ford Puma), world champion in 2019; and at 5 to his Belgian teammate Thierry Neuville.
Three Toyota drivers (GR Yaris) finished behind: the Japanese Takamoto Katsuta (at 0.5), the Finnish Calle Rovanpera, leader of the championship (at 0.9); and the French Sebastien Ogiereight-time world champion, third in the current tournament and the most successful with four wins on the island (1.3).
The Spanish Dani is deaf (Hyundai i20), twice winner of this rally, set the seventh time, 1.8 seconds behind Lappi.
Calle Rovanperacurrent world champion, leads the way after taking his first win at the Rally de Portugal in a season in which he started second in Monte Carlo and three fourth places in the rallies of Sweden, Mexico and Croatia.
The Finn has 98 points, 17 more than Ott Tänak, winner of Italy in 2022; and 29 compared to Ogier and the British Elfyn Evans, who on Thursday finished eighth, 2 seconds behind Lappi. Neuville was fifth through 30.
This Friday the real action begins with the contest of six special stages on gravel, including the ‘Monte Lerno-Sa Conchedda’, which is 49.92 kilometers, which is covered twice and includes the ‘Micky’s Jump’, where the car is literally flying.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
