A 33-year-old Esapekka Lapin emotions erupted at the finish line of the World Rally Championship in Sweden. He had been chasing his second World Championship victory for just under seven years. The first one came in Jyväskylä in 2017.
– I was chasing this victory for a long time, Lappi admitted with relief at the finish.
The driver from Pieksämäki thanked his team, but also his family. He sent greetings home in Finnish.
The family is the reason why Lapland is only competing in a partial World Series this season. He said last fall that he had already wished well in advance that he would only be able to drive part of this season. This way, the father of three children would have more time for his family.
In an interview with the Rallit.fi website he said that at the end of last season it was difficult to combine family life and motorsport.
Lapland’s last season was twofold. He drove four podium places in a period of five races in April-July, but there were three suspensions from the five races of the end of the season. There were a few of my own fatal, rally-deciding driving mistakes in the season.
– This is a big contrast to the end of last year, Lappi beamed as a winner in Sweden.
Sports expert Henri Haapamäki was impressed by Lapland’s decision to run only a partial WC season. Lupsaka’s driver’s personality garners praise from Haapamäe.
– He is an upright and honest Finn. The decision tells about the world of values, Haapamäki illustrates.
New history books in Sweden
Haapamäki emphasizes that it is not an easy decision to reject the opportunity to pursue World Cup success. Lappi has been rallying for a long time and eventually became a standard driver in the top class. Hundreds of drivers around the world are looking for a place.
However, Lappi put his family first.
– I value straightforwardness and honesty. He said, as things are; it hurts so much to leave home when the children leave crying, Haapamäki concretizes the everyday life of rally professionals.
He also brings up the other side of the matter. In terms of competitive success, the full World Series would not necessarily have been a blissful thing.
– There’s no point in working if you feel like you’re going to join thieves when you go to rallies, Haapamäki rings in its familiar style .
Based on the winter rally, Lapland’s momentum has not disappeared anywhere. Before Rovanperä and Tänak’s Friday outings, Lappi was able to match the pace of the other top riders and Rovanperää didn’t run away too far.
Haapamäki stresses that there aren’t many drivers in the World Championship who could win whole rallies and repeatedly drive low times. Lapland belongs to that group. After being interrupted by others, he was able to control the situation in Sweden.
– In addition to that, he showed raw speed when it was needed, Haapamäki analyzed.
He says that Lappi deserved the win with his innocence. For example Takamoto Katsuta there was a chance for the first race victory of his career, but a driving error watered down his dreams on Saturday.
Lappi made history in Sweden, because he became the driver who raced the longest between two wins in the history of the World Rally Championship. Six years, two months and 19 days had passed since the first victory.
The previous record was Shekhar Mehta and by Jean-Luc Therier in the name from the 1970s. Their wait lasted five years and 359 days.
Lappi drove a Toyota for the first victory of his career. Now Lapp became the fifth driver to win the World Championship in the Hyundai team. In total, the win was Hyundai’s 29th.
How about career progression?
Haapamäki gives victory to the almost always smiling Lapland after difficulties. In terms of career, success came at a great seam. It is not yet known how Lappi wants to continue his career after this season.
Lapland’s personality and the driver’s skills support the opportunities offered.
– I dare to say that there are jobs available, come from any stable, Haapamäki downloads.
He says that successes like Sweden raise Lapland’s position in the driver hierarchy of the series. For example, the talents emerging from the rally2 class are often small question marks for the teams, in a way “risky choices†.
The big question is whether Lappi even wants to return as a full-time World Championship driver. Travel days accumulate up to 200 per year.
Good luck for this season. It’s completely different to return home after a victory than to be accompanied by a big disappointment.
– You are in different lights at home, you can enjoy this time and leave excited and happy again for the next rallies, says Haapamäki.