“It has been really a long, long break and then we go straight to Estonia which is probably even faster rally than Finland,” he said. “So you need to be really committed and after such a long break it’s not going to be easy, for sure. The speed will feel again very fast.
“Normally you are very used to it and you get used to everything so you want more power and it doesn’t feel so powerful any more. But now, after five months break, I’m sure there is enough power and enough speed on that car.”
Lappi will prepare by driving a privately-entered Fiesta World Rally Car at Finland’s Jämsän Äijät Ralli on Saturday (8 August). The three-stage event is based near Jämsä and features tests previously used at Neste Rally Finland’s WRC fixture.
The Finn has competed in Estonia twice previously and knows the welcome will be special in a country eager to see world champion Ott Tänak compete in a WRC round on home ground for the first time.
“The atmosphere is really cool. If, as the saying goes, the home of rally is Finland then I believe also some sort of home is Estonia for rallying because the people are crazy,” Lappi said in an interview for WRC TV.
Lappi, who bought a cross kart during lockdown to keep his driving in trim, is looking forward to renewing the all-Finnish partnership with Teemu Suninen in the British squad.
“We competed against each other in WRC 2 four years ago. I knew Teemu before that as well as we were driving go karts in the same team 15 years ago. I was competing one class higher as I am three years older than him. but still in the same team.
“There were many years that we never met each other and it has been actually quite nice to get to know him better and better this year. I am sure he has helped me, too, as we can speak our mother language. It has been easier to discuss about the settings and other stuff more precisely than if I should speak English,” Lappi added.
Source: wrc.com