Esapekka Lappi completes Hyundai line-up for Rally Latvia
16th July 2024Esapekka Lappi returns to the Hyundai line-up for his third event of the season, at Rally Latvia, as the team looks to extend their championship lead.
Feature Image Credit: Red Bull Content Pool
Lappi will return to the World Rally Championship this weekend at Rally Latvia, in the team’s third car, alongside championship leader Thierry Neuville and Ott Tanak. This will mark the Finnish driver’s third event of the season.
The Finnish driver had previously competed in both Rally Sweden – which he won – and Safari Rally Kenya for Hyundai, this season, with Dani Sordo and Andreas Mikkelsen sharing the duties in the other events.
Like Tanak, this will not be Lappi’s first time competing in Latvia. The Finn was victorious last time out, a decade ago in a wintery Rally Liepāja.
“We competed at Rally Latvia in 2014,” Lappi said. “However it was a winter event at that time so we won’t be able to transfer so much of our experience from so long ago.
“I’ve been studying a lot of videos and onboards from recent years, as well as discussing the characteristics and potential setup of the car with our engineer.”
READ MORE: Ott Tanak looking for redemption in Latvia after Rally Poland
In preparation for Latvia’s debut on the world stage, Lappi competed in the Lietuva Rally which poses similar characteristics to the Latvian rally.
The Finn topped the timing boards in the rally, equipped with his trusty Hyundai i20 Rally1 Hybrid, nearly three minutes faster than his closest competitor Žala Vaidotas who was in a Rally2 Skoda Fabia.
Speaking on his time competing in the Lietuva Rally, Lappi said:
“Our Lithuanian rally will be very helpful, as seat time is crucial to get used to high-speed roads, and our last event was in Kenya – a very different rally to Latvia.
“We’re targeting the podium – everything is possible at an event like this.”
Rally Latvia begins on Thursday, July 18, in Latvia with a lengthy 11km super special stage kicking off the action.
Read more WRC here:
- Ott Tanak looking for redemption in Latvia after Rally Poland
- Sebastien Ogier to return in WRC Rally Latvia after accident
- Spectator safety issues lead to two cancelled stages in Rally Poland
- Tanak gives update after hitting a deer in Rally Poland
- Rovanpera to replace Ogier following car crash for Rally Poland
- Ogier to miss Rally Poland due to car accident
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
