Esapekka Lappi heard his teammate by Craig Breen of being run over and dying while he was picking up children from daycare.
– I was in the car and I had to stop at the bus stop for a while. The shock came to me as well and physical reactions in my body, Lappi tells Urheilu.
Lappi says that after the day’s meltdown, things still haven’t cleared up inside his head.
– I’m not paralyzed, but it’s depressing in a certain way. It’s a really sad feeling. Of course, I don’t know how or when this will be over.
– Yes, he will be remembered. It just touched me the most when you were a good friend and in a certain way your own life and profession were very close.
Rally driver Craig Breen died on Thursday in Croatia during Hyundai’s rally tests. The Irishman’s car veered off the road and crashed into a wooden fence.
– It has been known that drivers die from this every year, but it hasn’t happened in the World Series yet. When it hits that close, it reminds you of the dangers of the sport quite properly.
“I don’t know what to do”
Lappi spoke with his team manager on Thursday. He says that he could have also received crisis assistance if necessary, but feels that he does not need it for the time being.
– I said I’m fine, as it is. But it still touches. It doesn’t take it away.
The World Rally Championship in Croatia is scheduled to be held next week, April 20-23. Lappi says that the decision to drive the rally or the participation of the Hyundai team must be made “quite quickly”.
Lapland cannot say more precisely about the timetable for the decisions. Lappi, however, assumes that the decisions on the matter would be made before the weekend or on Sunday at the latest, when he is also supposed to leave for Croatia.
– Let’s just say that I don’t know at all what should be done, what should be done. I know for sure what Craig would have wanted us to do. That’s for sure. We would drive. Because it was a huge passion for him. He certainly wouldn’t want to be left out of driving because of him.
Canceling the rally would be a huge financial loss for the organization organizing the rally.
– If purely money comes first, then the rally will be driven by force. If you think about humanity, it’s a different story. Everyone knows that, unfortunately, in many cases, money is the deciding factor.
Lapland: “I would be fit to drive”
Lapland does not officially take a position on whether the rally should be run or not. However, he feels that he is fit to drive if it is decided to run the rally.
– Yes, I feel that I am. Of course, you have to invest even more in concentration and preparation during the weekend so that your thoughts stay on the right things. Surely it will still lighten the mood for next week and even later.
Lappi thinks that the notation and the intervals between the clips would be more challenging compared to special tests.
– Somehow, the brain is used to the fact that when the helmet is on and the clutch goes up at the starting point, then everything is forgotten about one’s own head at that moment. I claim that this thing also starts from there. Then it will come back. For a while, I think I can rule it out.
Many former rally drivers have assessed that Breen’s exit was very bad luck. According to Lappi, everyone knew that glass or plexiglass was the car’s weak point, because you have to see through them. Getting them safe is challenging.
– Yes, they can withstand quite a lot of this, spins and other things. It’s partly down to luck. If something happens to go through the glass, the car can’t handle it.
According to Lapi, the international automobile association FIA is constantly thinking about how to make cars even safer. According to Lapland, improvements have been presented to the FIA, for example regarding seat belts, but otherwise, according to the driver, safety is at a good level.
According to Lap, if you drive in Croatia, there will certainly be some kind of quiet moment in the rally, remembering Breen.
– Surely there will be commemoration, tribute stickers or others. Our team has quite emotional encounters. Relaxation and frivolity are missing.