Finnish driver Esapekka Lappi hit a tree on the first stage of the World Rally Championship’s Wales Rally GB, smashing in the back of his Skoda Fabia R5. To most people this would be a hindrance, but Lappi went on to own the WRC 2 class for Day 1 with a string of stage wins—and some bits floppping off the back.
Hit a tree. Ain’t care. Keep going.
Lappi obviously didn’t win that first stage, but then he went on to knock off six stage wins in a row with his newly modified Skoda, floppy bits and all. His winning run was only ended on the last stage, when teammate Pontus Tidemand ran faster. Still, Lappi ended the day in first place with a big 46.7-second lead over his next competitor.
Maybe Lappi’s accidentally stumbled upon a new way to go fast on slushy wet gravel? (I’m not going to smash in the back of my car to find out.)