The Hyundai driver will take a 1m06.3s advantage over M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux into Sunday’s final three stages, with Toyota’s Elfyn Evans sitting 1m23.0s back in third, as he seeks a first win since his maiden success on the 2017 Rally Finland.
Lappi was pushed hard by Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta in the morning as the Finn saw his lead shrink to 0.9s. However, Katsuta’s charge was halted on stage 10 when the Japanese lost control and found a snowbank.
Ending Saturday on top has provisionally secured 18 points for Hyundai’s third driver Lappi under the new points system, with Fourmaux picking up 15 and Evans claiming 13 points.
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville stands to collect 10 points after ending the day in fourth [+2m22.1s], having started the day in 11th overall. The points will be claimed if the crews finish the rally on Sunday.
Skoda driver Oliver Solberg completed the top five to lead the WRC2 class from Toyota’s Sami Pajari.
Reigning world champion Kalle Rovanpera and Hyundai’s Ott Tanak rejoined the rally after crashing out in stage four on Friday.
Unlike Friday, when heavy snow fell before the second pass of stages, Saturday’s afternoon’s clear weather meant the stages were heavily rutted with abrasive gravel coming through the layer of ice and snow on the road surface. Tyre preservation became the key objective.
Evans appeared to judge the conditions the best as the Welshman logged his first stage win of the event on stage 12 to nibble into the gap to second-placed Fourmaux.
Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
“I tried,” said Evans. “It’s difficult conditions in there, really a lot of gravel. For sure there’s more time to be had, but it’s difficult to find the balance. I’m not normally that good at that.”
Fourmaux reached the stage end 1.5s slower than Evans, but the Frenchman elected to back off to reduce the risk of picking up a puncture.
“There were a lot of rocks everywhere on the road and I was scared to get a puncture, so I decided to push less in the last part,” said Fourmaux.
“I even thought we had a puncture, but no. It’s quite rough, like a gravel stage. I just wanted to get through.”
Rally leader Lappi also opted to measure his pace to protect his lead and tyres, the Finn 8.7s slower than stage winner Evans.
Neuville meanwhile completed the task of jumping ahead of Solberg to claim fourth…
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