Finnish driver Esapekka Lappi won the Neste Rally in Jyväskylä, Finland on Sunday, securing his maiden FIA World Rally Championship, said an official press release.

Lappi, driving for the fourth time in a top-level world rally, won by 36.0 seconds in a Toyota Yaris. The 26-year-old overcame a late scare after breaking a wheel in the penultimate speed test to claim an emotional victory on home ground.

Although a novice, Lappi, who turned out as the sixth driver to win in nine rounds, fought his more experienced team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala for most of the four-day, dirt round encounter. Latvala retired from the lead on Saturday afternoon as his car’s electronic control unit failed.

Carrying a 49.1 second advantage into Sunday’s short final leg, Lappi measured his pace through the final four tests, keeping his cool when he wrecked his car’s rear left wheel after running wide.

Elfyn Evans of the UK scored the second place in the rally, followed by two other Finns – Juho Hänninen and Teemu Suninen.

Evans won a thrilling three-car fight for the second position to match his career-best result. The Welshman had started the final day in the fourth place in a Ford Fiesta behind Teemu Suninen and Juho Hänninen.