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ERC Valais: Esapekka Lappi closes on title with dominant win

Esapekka Lappi moved to the brink of the 2014 European Rally Championship title with a commanding Rally of Valais win

The Finn was untroubled in Switzerland once he had overcome his factory Skoda team-mate Sepp Wiegand on Friday, repeating his 2013 triumph on the event.

Lappi's third victory of the year should make wrapping up the title in next month's Corsica finale relatively straightforward, with a 34-point lead over Wiegand and 39 available.

Craig Breen recovered from his Thursday puncture to reach second place, his first podium since winning the Acropolis in March, although it wasn't enough to prolong his title bid.

He was kicking himself for a pair of spins in the middle of the final leg that delayed his pursuit of Kajetan Kajetanowicz, but he still overcome the Pole - who then retired anyway with a fire on his Ford.

That elevated Wiegand back to third place. He had drifted out of victory contention with a variety of issues, including a puncture, an errant tyre choice in the changeable wet, icy and muddy conditions, and some steering worries.

LEADING FINISHERS AFTER SS19:

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CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER 10 OF 11 ROUNDS:

Pos Driver Points
1 Esapekka Lappi 162
2 Sepp Wiegand 128
3 Craig Breen 104
4 Kajetan Kajetanowicz 100
5 Vaclav Pech 63
6 Vasily Gryazin 53
7 Robert Consani 50
8 Ott Tanak 44
9 Bruno Magalhaes 44
10 Robert Kubica 39


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