Finnish class: Lappi steers Team MRF to victory

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If the start was excellent, the finish was even better as Team MRF’s Esapekka Lappi nailed the opening round of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship 2013 here on Sunday. The Finnish driver won seven of the eight stages on the final day to finish 4:03.2 seconds ahead of his MRF teammate Gaurav Gill in the Rally of Whangarei. Lappi said he couldn’t have asked for a better start to his APRC journey and rallying career outside Europe.
The distance between Finland and New Zealand, it is learnt, initially intimidated Lappi but the young man was ultimately happy that he made the daunting flight to Whangarei. He promised to come back next year to this quaint, little town sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. The Finn seems to have taken Whangarei’s tourism tagline, Love it Here, to his heart. Don’t be surprised if you find Lappi, armed with a winning smile and killer speed, in the more competitive World Rally Championship sooner than later.
Gill started the day strongly by winning the opening stage. The Indian had been pinning his hopes on turning things around in the longer stages of the final day but he lost out to Lappi’s mastery before succumbing to a mechanical failure. “I drove with a broken rear right suspension in the last four stages. My focus was only on finishing the rally. I just wanted to bring the car to the service park,” he said.
Lappi lavished praise on his co-driver and compatriot, Janne Ferm. “I liked the roads but the course wasn’t easy. I had my share of challenges. Ferm did a fantastic job. His pace notes were critical to my performance,” he said.
The Finn added that Gill surprised him with his speed.
Provisional results: APRC (stage distance 288 km (16 stages) and total distance 730 km): 1. Esapekka Lappi/ Janne Ferm (MRF) 2:51.18 seconds, 2. Gaurav Gill/Glenn MacNeal (MRF) 2:55.21, 3. Michael Young/Daniel Wilson (Toyota) 3:25.53.