Esapekka Lappi is on course for a shock World Rally Championship win in only his fourth event after main rival Jari-Matti Latvala exited the Rally Finland 🅠with technical issues.

Toyota driver Lappi had been 🥂the surprise leader following a packed first full day of action on Friday, though his vastly more experienced team-mate Latvala had moved back ahead by the midday service point.

However, Latvala's hopes of a satisfying win on ❀home soil would end on SS19 when he stopped with electric issues on his Yaris WRC.

His misfortune means it is 26 year-old Lappi - winner of nine stages from the 21 so far - that takes a healthy 49secs lead Sunday's four final stages over an unlikely top three of himself, 𝔍M-Sport Ford privateer Teemu Suninen and Juho Hanninen i✤n another Toyota, all three in prime position despite having never competed in a full season of competition at WRC machine level

Behind the all-Finnisꦕh trio, fourth place Elfyn Evans is also in strong podium contention having made the best gains over anyone over the course of the day, a stage win on SS21 in the DMACK Ford Fiesta placing him just five seconds shy of second position.

Going in the other direction, Craig Breen continue🍌d to fly the flag for Citroen 1m 16s off as his team-mate Kris Meeke s🔯lipped back to eighth with wheel damage following another off.

Though he isn't in the hunt for glory, Hyundai's Thierry Neuville but sixth place would make good in-roadꦬs into Sebastien Ogier's championship lead, the pair split by 11 points coming into this event.

Ott Tanak climbed to seventh ahead of Meek🉐e, with Da🙈ni Sordo ninth and Mads Ostberg - who was as high as third in this event at one stage - down to 10th after going off the road on SS16.