Wales Rally GB, SS1: Lappi leads in GB

Esapekka Lappi headed a Toyota Gazoo Racing 1-2 at Dayinsure Wales Rally GB after edging team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala in Thursday night’s opening speed test.

Lappi completed the dusty 1.70km stage at the Tir Prince trotting track 0.3sec quicker than fellow Finn Latvala. Both were at the wheel of Yaris World Rally Cars.

Championship leader Thierry Neuville matched Latvala’s time in his Hyundai i20 to tie for second, ahead of title rivals Sébastien Ogier and Ott Tänak.

Ogier finished 0.4sec behind the Belgian in a Ford Fiesta, with Estonian Tänak a further 0.2sec adrift in his Yaris.

Tänak recovered from a frustrating start to the day when he crashed in his first pass at this morning’s shakedown test in Clocaenog.

After missing the braking point on slippery gravel roads, he slid straight on into a bank and returned to the Deeside service park where his team replaced the cooling package.

Andreas Mikkelsen completed the top six in another i20.

The action switches into the north Wales forests on Friday. Three early morning tests are repeated in the afternoon following mid-leg service in Deeside, with two short fan-friendly tests at Slate Mountain completing the pre-lunch loop. The eight stages cover 110.76km.