Lappi fends off serial winner Ogier to lead in Mexico / Photo: ALFREDO ESTRELLA - AFP
-
Rene Eyre Revisits Autobiographical Performance 'Say A Little Prayer' in London
-
London Museum Granted 24/7 License Ahead of November Opening
-
UAE's HCT Holds Record Graduation and Announces Major Training Expansion
-
Dana White Confirms Flight to Washington for Trump Meeting on Press Secretary Role
-
NASA Awards $10B Lunar Contract Framework to SpaceX, Blue Origin
-
Dengue Fever Expands Into High Himalayas as Climate Change Warms Nepal
-
Katy Perry Tells Fans Ex-Husband Russell Brand 'Should Be in Jail' During UK Concert
-
IoT Refrigerator Hacks Disrupt Blood Labs and Supermarkets Across Europe and US
-
South African election results renew debate over identity-based voting
-
Post-election pressures complicate US and Israeli decisions on Iran
-
South African voters report smoother local election but declining IEC trust
-
UN members approve talks on treaty protocol against environmental crime
-
Dolly Parton museum and Nashville hotel open after singer’s death
-
Family-run West Sussex beach café prepares for first winter season
-
George and Amal Clooney attend New York political-comedy reading
-
CT scans reveal health and burial clues from Egypt’s Braided Lady mummy
-
British buyers pay substantial premiums for period-home appearance
-
Oxford faces complaints over lecturer’s classroom attire
-
Thomas Markle released to house arrest after child-abuse-image charge
-
Kyren Wilson and John Higgins reach International Championship snooker final
-
Dawn of War 4 developers chose Adeptus Mechanicus for tactical variety
-
New Zealand and Tonga meet for place in Rugby League World Cup final
-
Italy face unbeaten South Africa in Turin Nations Championship match
-
Reports of unsafe AI-toy responses renew calls for child-safety rules
Lappi fends off serial winner Ogier to lead in Mexico
Esapekka Lappi held off Sebastien Ogier to lead the Mexico Rally after Friday's stages as championship leader Ott Tanak was among the drivers to hit problems at altitude in the rugged mountains.
Tanak had led overnight after winning the opening two stages but lost power on Friday's opening stage, known as El Chocolate.
"Turbo," said Tanak from the road. "There is a turbo in the car, but it's just dead."
Lappi, a Finn who drives for Hyundai, grabbed the race lead as Tanak limped in 7mins 47sec behind.
Frenchman Ogier, in a Toyota, who has won the rally six times, took the next stage but the Finn hit back to take the morning's final stage by 0.6sec and stretch his lead to 1.4sec.
"Seb has won this rally so many times and we can match his pace, so I need to be very pleased with that," said Lappi.
In the afternoon back-to-back stage wins in Las Minas and Las Dunas gave Lappi some breathing space, and he ended the day 5.3sec up on Ogier who took the Distrito Leon super special.
"I am a bit surprised, but I take it as it is," Lappi told wrc.com.
"This was probably one of the best days of my career.
"I always hoped that I could fight at the top, but to be leading and fighting against Seb was never in my mind. I didn't really think about how this day would go, but I was just confident that our pace would be good."
Welshman Elfyn Evans was third in a Toyota at 24.8sec.
Reigning champion Kalle Rovanpera, who trails Tanak by three points in the world rally championship standings after two events, ended the second day in fifth after suffering mechanical problems following a big slide at the end of the opening stage.
Tanak goes into Saturday's stages 14 minutes adrift after a nightmare time for the M-Sport Ford team.
Ford's Frenchman Pierre-Louis Loubet hit a rock on stage three.
Racing was briefly stopped on the stage after private driver Jourdan Serderidis, 59, in the third Ford, stopped, facing the wrong way, in the middle of the road.
Tanak can still pick up bonus points on Sunday's Power Stage.
Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta went off the road and down a steep embankment in his Toyota on stage five - no way to celebrate his 30th birthday.
M.Thompson--AMWN
