Ogier powers into commanding lead from Evans
The eight-time world champion, competing in a partial WRC campaign, assumed the lead on Saturday morning after Hyundai rival Esapekka Lappi crashed out on stage 11. Once ahead, Ogier was able to extend his advantage to 35.8s over Toyota’s team-mate Evans, who came under attack from Hyundai’s Neuville. Evans managed to hang onto to second, […]
Crashing from WRC Rally Mexico lead «difficult to swallow»
The Finn declared Friday as one of the best days of his World Rally Championship career after holding off eight-time world champion Sebastian Ogier to build a 5.3s lead into Saturday. However, Lappi’s hard work was undone in an instant when he misjudged a left-hander that resulted in a heavy crash on Stage 11 (Ibarrilla), […]
Ogier inherits healthy lead after Lappi exit
The eight-time World Rally Championship title winner had been locked in a fight with Lappi throughout Friday, and faced a 5.3s deficit to the Finn heading into Saturday. However, Lappi’s exit on the morning’s first test, stage 11, promoted Ogier to the lead, which he took into Saturday’s midday service. Toyota’s Elfyn Evans trailed his […]
Lappi crashes out of WRC Mexico lead on Saturday’s opening stage
The Hyundai driver lost control of his i20 N, 10 kilometres into the Ibarrilla test and speared into a bank. The force of the impact flicked the car around before rear ending a telegraph pole as it came to a halt in the road. Lappi and co-driver Janne Ferm emerged from the heavily damaged i20 […]
Tanak explains lack of pace at WRC Rally Mexico
Tanak endured a difficult start to the first gravel rally of the season after ending Friday in 18th position, 14m05s behind rally leader and Hyundai driver Esapekka Lappi. The 2019 world champion already faced the daunting task of opening Mexico’s dusty gravel stages as championship leader, before a turbo failure cost the Estonian 12 minutes […]
Lappi rates Mexico drive among the best of his WRC career
The Finn, competing in only his third event for Hyundai after moving from Toyota, won five of the day’s eight stages to lead six-time Rally Mexico winner Sebastien Ogier by 5.3s. Lappi found himself locked in an intense fight with former Toyota team-mate Ogier as the pair broke away from the chasing pack across Mexico’s […]
Lappi stars to lead Ogier after eventful Friday
Lappi lit up the timing screens across the afternoon’s stages, winning three of the five tests, to turn a 1.4s margin into a 5.3s advantage over six-time Rally Mexico winner Ogier. Ogier managed to close to within 0.3s early in the afternoon before Lappi reeled off a string of times to pull clear of the […]
Lappi edges Ogier after hectic Friday morning
Lappi made the most of an advantageous road position on the rough gravel stages to win two of the three tests that made up the morning loop. The Finn headed to the midday service with a 1.4s lead over Ogier, who won Stage 4 after starting the day a position ahead of Lappi on the […]
Stage 3 red-flagged as all three M-Sport Pumas hit trouble
Stage 3, the first of the day’s eight tests, was halted after the third M-Sport Ford Puma driven by privateer Jourdan Serderidis blocked the narrow El Chocolate road and was stuck facing in the opposite direction. It is unclear exactly how the Greek driver ended up stranded on the stage. Former M-Sport driver Gus Greensmith […]