
After a good start in the first short stage won by Neuville T. / Wydaeghe M. (Hyundai i20 N Rally1), there followed a collapse in the standings all the way to 8th position.
Tänak Ott / Järveoja M. (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) took the lead in the first stages of Rally Finland 2022. One of the long SS 5 - Lankamaa 2 stages of almost 22 km was canceled due to public safety.
After stage 6, Tanak's lead was only 6.2 seconds ahead of Lappi Esapekka / Ferm Janne (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1).
After the end of Day 1, the 10th stage, Tanak continued to lead, just 3.8 seconds ahead of Lappi.
Evans Elfyn / Martin Scott (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) and Rovanperä K. / Halttunen Jonne (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) are fighting for third place, the difference between them being only 1.7 seconds.
Today, the race took place in heavy rain on stage number 12 Rapsula 1 (20.56 km), where many drivers complained of aquaplaning at high speeds.
In these conditions, Evans Elfyn / Martin Scott (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) lost 3rd position, but are only 7 tenths behind Rovanperä K. / Halttunen Jonne (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1), who moved up to 3rd. An accident took out Breen Craig / Nagle Paul (Ford Puma Rally1) who were running in 5th place.
In stage number 16 Rapsula 2, Rovanperä K. / Halttunen Jonne (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) managed to dislodge Lappi Esapekka / Ferm Janne (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) from second position, closing to within 11.5 seconds of the leaders.
By the end of the day, no changes at the front with a small lead of 8.4 seconds remaining Ott / Järveoja M. (Hyundai i20 N Rally1). They are followed by Rovanperä K. / Halttunen Jonne (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) and the third position is for Lappi Esapekka / Ferm Janne (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) at 35.2 seconds.
Evans Elfyn / Martin Scott (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) not only lost third position but also lost a lot of time and are 1:19.7 behind the leaders.
First in RC2 are Suninen Teemu / Markkula Mikko (Hyundai i20 N Rally2).
On the last day - Sunday, 4 more speed stages remain.

Already after the first day of Rally Estonia 2022, the drivers reached the positions they then held, with their differences between them too great to attack.
A flat tire sent Lappi Esapekka / Ferm Janne (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) from 4th to 7th after CE 12, halting their ambitions to challenge for a podium place.
In CE20 Kanepi 1 (16.48km) a crash took Solberg Oliver / Edmondson Elliott out of the race and transmission and car problems saw Greensmith Gus / Andersson Jonas out of the race.
Thierry Neuville failed to take a left turn and the rear of the car threw him off the race track, but Neuville quickly returned to the track, but with a displaced seat.
Thierry Neuville held the 4th position and has no chance of further classification, and the gap behind him is too big to be displaced.
Throughout, Rovanperä K. / Halttunen Jonne (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) confidently held first place, gaining seconds on the competition. Rovanperä also won the final rainy Power Stage of the race and finished as the winner by 1:00.9 ahead of Evans Elfyn / Martin Scott (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1). Third position went to Tänak Ott / Järveoja M. (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) at +1:55.7.
Neuville T. / Wydaeghe M. (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) at +3:53.3 was again unlucky and off the podium.
Mikkelsen A. / Eriksen T. (Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) managed to fight for the first position in RC2 with a lead of 25 seconds ahead of Suninen Teemu / Markkula Mikko (Hyundai i20 N Rally2).
Rovanperä is going more and more confidently towards winning the world title, with his points lead over main rival Thierry Neuville double.
The next race is Rally Finland on 4-7 August 2022.

Rally Estonia 2022 offers multiple stages, with a total of 24 speed stages! There haven't been this many speed stages in quite some time, not all of them being short stages.
Slowly but surely Evans Elfyn / Martin Scott (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) piled up seconds and tenths all day today. Until the final 9th stage of Day 1, when they spun and lost 10.9 seconds from their lead. In stage 9 Vastsemõisa 2 (6.70 km) after a spin they lost 22.6 seconds and went to second place in the general classification with a lag of 11.7 seconds. However, they remain in the game, as Kalle Rovanperra's main competitor.
In the lead are Rovanperä K. / Halttunen Jonne (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1). Third place goes to Tänak Ott / Järveoja M. (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) at 44.3 seconds.
These three crews will lead the fight for victory in Rally Estonia, with 9 more high-speed stages awaiting them today Saturday.
Breen Craig / Nagle Paul's good start in the first speed stage of Rally Estonia 2022 did not continue after stage number 4 suffered an accident and they were left in the spectators.
In RC2 Mikkelsen A. / Eriksen T. (Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) are first, only 12.1 seconds ahead of Suninen Teemu / Markkula Mikko (Hyundai i20 N Rally2).