Esapekka Lappi is on course for a shock World Rally Championship win in only his fourth event afterꦓ 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 tea🏅m-mate Latvala had moved back ahead by the midday service point.

H💧owever, Latvala's hopes of a satisfying win on home soil would end on SS19 when he stꦜopped 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 thr🧜ee of himself, M-Sport Ford privateer Teemu Suninen and Juho Hanninen in another Toyota, all three in prime position despite having never competed in a full season of competition at WRC machine level

Behind the all-Finnish trio, fourth place Elfyn Evans is also in strong podiumܫ 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 continued to fly tꦬhe flag for Citroen 1m 16s off as his team-mate Kris Meeke slipped ba🤡ck to eighth with wheel damage following another off.

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

Ott Tan🎐ak climbed to seventh ahead of Meeke, with Dani 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.