WRC Rally Sweden – preview of the event
Now Sébs is gone and it’s time for the next new generation. WRC is going north to Umeå for Rally Sweden next week and when it comes there will not be a French world champion named Sébastien to see.
“It’s going to be weird,” said Loeb’s latest teammate, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team star Craig Breen. “To think back to a time before both Sébs came … it’s been a while since now. Both have been a regular part of the championship for so long, all the time I’ve been here. Yeah, it gets a little weird.”
Let’s keep things in perspective: both are coming back – and it’s not like Loeb has not left before. But for Toyota, this week will be different. They have become accustomed to relying on the scoring machine that is the man from Gap.
“He is such a strong asset for us,” said team manager Jari-Matti Latvala. “Both – Loeb and Ogier – they are both really exceptional in our sport. You know that when you have them you have points and they can give wins and championships. For us we will definitely miss a guy like this [Ogier].
“You have this confidence in someone like Séb [Ogier]. I saw it when I was in Volkswagen Motorsport as his teammate – you could see inside the team that they looked at him and people trusted him.
“OK, Ogier can win cases.”
“It’s true. He can. But we know he’s only with us for some rallies this year and for Sweden and the other rallies, really, we have a lot of confidence and confidence in Esapekka [Lappi]. It’s a shame when big drivers like both Sébs ride, but they also open the door for others. ”
What’s worse than never getting in the door in the first place? Goes in through the door and is then forced back out into the cold. That is what happened to the former Rally Finland-winning Finn Esapekka Lappi when he did not find a contract for last season.
Everything that is in the past now. He chose the lock last year and he is back indoors from next week onwards.
“As you can imagine, I am very happy to be back,” said the 31-year-old.
Lappi last drove for Toyota 2018 before going to Citroën, then M-Sport and then the bench.
“This year is a little different,” he said. “This year I drive for the team and share the car [Sébastien] Ogier. It’s not a complete program, so I’m here to make the point. I do not mind it. I’m happy to be in the car again. ”
In the car and in a very, very strong position on the road. After missing Monte Carlo, he will enter the stage last of factory Rally1 cars. It can be good.
“If the snow comes,” he said, “it might be a good place on the road – with the cars in front cleaning a line. But the guys in front, they’ve all driven this car in Monte Carlo. They know more about the car than I do. . ”
With heavy snow expected ahead of the event, even with his lack of recent experience and match training, Lappi is well worth a point.
Sweden: same, but different
Rally Sweden was forced off the calendar due to restrictions last season. But in the name of honesty, it had not been the happiest of business in recent seasons. Ahead of next week’s Umeå-based event, the sport’s lasting memory was of a Power Stage race in torrential rain that was more reminiscent of a wet Welsh autumn than a WRC winter classic. It was Torsby, 700 km south. Next week it will be icy and cold.
“These are the conditions we want,” said Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä. As third in the championship behind Loeb and Ogier, it is the Finn who will lead the field into the completely new stages.
“It can be complicated,” he admitted, “but the good thing is having the snowdrifts and the nice weather. This is really important.”
M-Sport driver Breen will be right behind Rovanperä, with the Irishman chasing his first WRC win in a country where he has excelled before. Four years ago, he was second, less than 20 seconds from the top step of the podium.
Hyundai’s deputy team manager Julien Moncet is not talking about wins next week: cars at the finish line and a podium place would be a result for him.