Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

ERC Valais: Esapekka Lappi moves into narrow lead

Esapekka Lappi moved into a narrow lead of 2.9 seconds on the final round of the European Rally Championship after overhauling Andreas Aigner on the second morning of the Rally of Valais

Lappi, driving a works Skoda Fabia S2000, was 8.8s faster than Aigner's Group N Subaru on the rally's fourth stage, which opened the day's proceedings, and moved into a 5.1s lead as a result.

The Finn increased his advantage on SS5, but backed off on the slippery SS6 and allowed 2008 Production World Rally champion Aigner to close back in.

Local hero Olivier Burri maintained third spot in his Ford, but is only 9.5s ahead of impressive Russian teenager Vasiliy Gryazin.

Sebastien Carron, sixth overnight, crashed on SS6 works Renault man Robert Consani retired on SS4 when a wheel fell off due to sheared studs.

The star performer of the morning was Jeremi Ancian, who was fastest on all three stages.

The Frenchman, who had shared the lead with Craig Breen after Thursday's opening test, began the day 28th due largely to a three-minute penalty for checking into SS2 early.

The Sainteloc Racing driver hauled his S2000 Peugeot into ninth spot by the Sion service, taking 23s off Lappi in the process.

Ancian's team-mate Breen began the day 16th, having been penalised two minutes for a similar offence on Thursday.

But his fightback was curtailed when he hit a white post while apexing at a right-hander on SS4 and broke his car's power steering. He dropped another two minutes to the leaders during the morning and lies 14th.

Leading positions after SS6:

Pos  Driver               Team/Car             Time/Gap
 1.  Esapekka Lappi       Skoda                53m06.3s
 3.  Andreas Aigner       Stohl Subaru            +2.9s
 3.  Olivier Burri        Zero4 Pui Ford         +34.0s
 4.  Vasily Gryazin       SRT Ford               +43.5s
 5.  Gregoire Hotz        Zero4 Pui Peugeot    +1m00.6s
 6.  Nicolas Althaus      Lugano Peugeot       +1m10.5s
 7.  Jaroslav Orsak       GPD Skoda            +2m08.6s
 8.  Florian Gonon        Lugano Subaru        +2m15.3s
 9.  Jeremi Ancian        Sainteloc Peugeot    +2m32.4s
10.  Antonin Tlustak      GPD Skoda            +3m23.4s

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article ERC Valais: Andreas Aigner leads as Craig Breen is penalised
Next article ERC Valais: Esapekka Lappi surges into 40s lead after first day

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe