FIA World Rally Championship: Esapekka Lappi Makes Record-Breaking Ride To Win In Sweden - In Pics

Esapekka Lappi is a winner again in the FIA World Rally Championship on the back of a controlled but fast-paced display of ice and snow driving aboard his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid. His Rally Sweden victory, alongside co-driver and fellow Finn Janne Ferm, came six years, six months and 19 days since he won in the WRC for the first time at Rally Finland in 2017. The 33-year-old breaks the record for the longest gap between WRC wins, which stood at five years and 359 days and was jointly held by Shekhar Mehta and Jean-Luc Therier. Lappi is the fifth Hyundai-powered driver to win a WRC round, a result that gives the manufacturer its 29th triumph in the world championship at an event when Toyota and M-Sport Ford also finished on the podium. Despite sliding his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid into a snowbank at high speed on SS17, Evans topped the Super Sunday classification to bag seven world championship points to add to the 13 he scored on Saturday under new rules for 2024. The Welshman, who also took four points on the Wolf Power Stage for an event total of 24, is now three points adrift of Thierry Neuville in the race to win the 2024 WRC title. Oliver Solberg won WRC2 in Sweden for the second year running in fifth followed by category rivals Sami Pajari, Georg Linnamäe, Roope Korhonen and Mikko Heikkilä. Italy’s Lorenzo Bertelli, making his second WRC start in as many years in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally 1, rounded out the top 10.

Photo Webdesk

Updated on: 19 February 2024 7:49 pm

Esapekka Lappi, Janne Ferm | Photo: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool

Esapekka Lappi (FIN) Janne Ferm (FIN) Of HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM celebrate on the podium in first place after winning the World Rally Championship in Umea, Sweden on 18.02.2024

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Esapekka Lappi, Janne Ferm | Photo: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool

Esapekka Lappi (FIN) Janne Ferm (FIN) Of HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM celebrate on the podium in first place after winning the World Rally Championship in Umea, Sweden on 18.02.2024

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Esapekka Lappi | Photo: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool

Esapekka Lappi (FIN) Janne Ferm (FIN) Of HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM are seen racing during the World Rally Championship Sweden in Umea, Sweden on 17 February, 2024

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Esapekka Lappi | Photo: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool

Esapekka Lappi (FIN) Janne Ferm (FIN) of HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM are seen racing during the World Rally Championship Sweden in Umea, Sweden on 17 February, 2024

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Esapekka Lappi | Photo: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool

Esapekka Lappi (FIN) Janne Ferm (FIN) Of HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM are seen racing during the World Rally Championship Sweden in Umea, Sweden on 17 February, 2024

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Nikolay Gryazin | Photo: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool

Nikolay Gryazin (BUL) Konstantin Aleksandrov (BUL) are seen racing during the World Rally Championship Sweden in Umea, Sweden on 18 February, 2024

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Competitor | Photo: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool

Competitor are seen racing during the World Rally Championship Sweden in Umea, Sweden on 18 February, 2024

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Kalle Rovanperä | Photo: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool

Kalle Rovanperä (FIN) Jonne Halttunen (FIN) Of team TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT are seen racing during the World Rally Championship Sweden in Umea, Sweden on 18 February, 2024

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Ott Tänak | Photo: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool

Ott Tänak (EST) Martin Järveoja (EST) Of team HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM are seen racing during the World Rally Championship Sweden in Umea, Sweden on 18 February, 2024

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