Cheers in his ears…

@RallyingUK
Jul 28, 2017 · 1 min read

Today, I was privileged.

I stood on the stop line of the SS11, Äänekoski — Valtra 2 stage of Rally Finland 2017 and witnessed a changing of the guard take place before my eyes.

Seconds earlier, Finnish hopeful Esapekka Lappi had just won his seventh stage of the rally. He had every reason to be happy.

We all knew this young star was in the ascendent but today he confirmed it in style — on home soil, in front of his compatriots.

As he pulled away from that Äänekoski stop line, the cheers of Finnish rally fans from behind the safety barriers, grew and grew. No sooner had he selected first gear and moved away, he stopped again — ever so briefly — to look and take in this new found adulation.

As he waved in appreciation, I glimpsed an almost coy smile spread widely across his face in the car. He looked like a man who knew he’d arrived.

Today he proved to everyone — he most certainly has.

@RallyingUK

@RallyingUK brings you the latest news from WRC and rallying from around the world • Curated by Steve Jones • Wales / Cymru / Gales / Pays de Galles

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade