Turkey WRC: Citroen holds 1-2 after Friday stages
Esapekka Lappi has extended his Rally Turkey lead after a tough afternoon to 17.7 seconds over Citroen teammate and reigning World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier.

Lappi excelled on the rain-affected second running of the 38km Cetibeli stage in his C3, despite being on the hard tyre which was ill-suited to the cooler wet weather.
The Finn set the second fastest time in that stage, behind only Thierry Neuville, who had been forced by a slow puncture to change to three medium tyres just before Cetibeli, helping him to set a time 7.6s quicker than Lappi.
Ogier had a clean afternoon to move into second overall but he goes into Saturday only 0.7 seconds ahead of third-placed Neuville.
Teemu Suninen moves up to fourth in the best of the M-Sport Fords, albeit 26 seconds behind the leading trio, ahead of Hyundai’s Andreas Mikkelsen, who described the Cetibeli stage as “driving on ice”.
Dani Sordo reported intermittent engine issues with his Hyundai early on in the afternoon but went on to complete the final stage of the day 10.9s quicker than anybody else, propelling himself up to sixth position.
A stall didn’t stop Citroen’s Kris Meeke winning the opening stage of the afternoon but he too struggled in the rain, losing over a minute to stage winner Neuville.
Points leader Ott Tanak picked up a puncture early on in Cetibeli and the time loss dropped him down to seventh, which turned into eighth after Sordo’s blistering Ula performance.
Fellow Toyota driver Jari-Matti Latvala likewise struggled, losing 50 seconds in the opening stage with a puncture. That problem was compounded by the sound of the exhaust getting into the car, drowning out his pacenotes.
M-Sport’s Pontus Tidemand is the last of the WRC drivers, 3m45s off rally leader Lappi.
Standings after SS7 (top 10):
Pos. | Driver | Car | Time/Gap |
1 | ![]() | Citroen | 1:59:53.7 |
2 | ![]() | Citroen | +17.7 |
2 | ![]() | Hyundai | +18.4 |
4 | ![]() | Ford | +44.4 |
5 | ![]() | Hyundai | +1:04.1 |
6 | ![]() | Hyundai | +1:25.2 |
7 | ![]() | Toyota | +1:32.1 |
8 | ![]() | Toyota | +1:37.4 |
9 | ![]() | Toyota | +1:42.5 |
10 | ![]() | Ford | +3:45.4 |

Turkey WRC: Lappi grabs the early advantage
WRC points leader Tanak forced to retire in Turkey

The former WRC star playing the unsung hero role for Rovanpera
Kalle Rovanpera’s 2022 World Rally Championship displays have been spectacular, with the Toyota driver benefitting from a secret weapon in his crew to win two of the opening three rallies. But while the former challenger to Sebastien Loeb won’t take credit for his fellow Finn's performances, a key bond has been formed which could prove key to Rovanpera’s title charge
How Rovanpera's Croatia turnaround sent a message to his WRC rivals
After a dominating Rally Croatia, a wrong tyre choice on the final day looked to have undone all Kalle Rovanpera's hard work and left him with a mountain to climb heading into the power stage. That he emerged the winner all the same has surely quelled any lingering doubts that the Finn is the man to beat in the 2022 WRC
How M-Sport's faith in Loubet led to a WRC reprieve after a dismal 2021
It's fair to say 2021 was a year to forget for Pierre-Louis Loubet. A maiden full World Rally Championship season offered hope but soon turned into a nightmare that ended in hospital, after being hit by a car in a road traffic accident. Now handed a lifeline by M-Sport, the Frenchman is desperate to rebuild his career
Why WRC mechanics deserve more respect
The drivers get the glare of attention, but it’s the mechanics who are key to the operation of any World Rally Championship car. Motorsport.com donned a set of overalls and joined M-Sport on a Belgian national rally event to get an inside look into the life of a rally mechanic.
The African McRae aiming to become a WRC pioneer
Taking his first step into the Junior World Rally Championship category, McRae Kimathi - named after 1995 world champion Colin - found himself in the unfamiliar climes of Sweden's snow and ice. Having impressed, Kimathi hopes to blaze a trail to the top level of WRC and help other African drivers to step onto the ladder
How Rovanpera grabbed the Rally Sweden spotlight
After a blockbuster opening act to the new era of the World Rally Championship with the battle of the Sebastiens at Monte Carlo, Rally Sweden would be the first chance to assess the next superstar of rallying. While teething issues with the new hybrid power thwarted some of the cast, Kalle Rovanpera’s display gave him headline billing
The "painful" journey behind the WRC's generational tech innovation
As the company selected to provide the hybrid kits for the 2022 World Rally Championship, the pressure was on Compact Dynamics at the Monte Carlo season opener. Needing to treat all three manufacturers equally, it wasn't a straightforward process, but its first big test was a resounding success that bodes well for the future.
The mentality shift key to Lappi’s shot at WRC redemption
He appeared poised to become the World Rally Championship’s new bright young star five years ago, but Esapekka Lappi's fortunes since his 2017 breakthrough win offer a cautionary tale of how the tables can turn. Now having rebuilt his career, the Finn is determined to make the most of his second shot at the big time with Toyota.