Corsica showdown for ERC title chase

ŠKODA Motorsport drivers Esapekka Lappi and Sepp Wiegand will battle for the FIA European Rally Championship on the final round in Corsica next month after they finished first and third respectively on Rallye International du Valais.

Finn Lappi (left) leads the standings by 34 points with a maximum of 39 up for grabs on the season-closing Giru di Corsica-Tour de Corse from 6-8 November.

“This was the most important win of the season for me,” said Lappi following his third ERC victory of 2014 in Switzerland. “Okay we did not win the title but it’s quite close. I’m not under pressure for Corsica in two weeks so it was a very important result.”

Wiegand, who has four podiums to his name in this year’s ERC, added: “For sure I try to push,” said the German. “You have to be fast but you can’t risk everything early on.”

Juho Hänninen, in 2012, was the last Finn to claim the European title. The last German winner was Armin Kremer in 2001. Click here to view the ERC standings.

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