The permanence of Esapekka Lappi in Hyundai for the next season of the World Rally Championship (WRC) is confirmed. However, unlike what happened this year, he will have a partial program sharing the third i20 N Rally1 Hybrid with an as-yet-unannounced driver. In 2023, it was shared by Dani Sordo and Craig Breen, and after the death of the Irishman Teemu Suninen.
According to the constructor, negotiations are currently underway with their WRC and WRC2 drivers to finalize the lineup. Lappi joined the team this year and achieved four podiums, including second place in the Rally Sardinia, which contributed to a historic one-two finish for Hyundai. His co-driver Janne Ferm continues with him.
The president of Hyundai Motorsport, Sean Kim, stated: ‘When we first signed Esapekka for the 2023 season, our goal was to have a combination of strong and experienced drivers to help us achieve our objectives. He has shown strong potential this season, but there are definitely unfinished matters, so we are very pleased that he is staying with us with the inner motivation to correct that. All three confirmed pairs are incredibly talented and know what it takes to win in the WRC, underlining the strength of our intentions’.
The team principal of Hyundai Motorsport, Cyril Abiteboul, commented on Lappi’s continuity: ‘We are pleased to announce the next piece of the puzzle for 2024 with Esapekka and Janne staying with our team for the next season. Their role will be to support Thierry [Neuville] and Ott [Tänak] in the championship, as well as to focus on the development of the car – something that Esapekka has shown to be particularly good at this year. We believe that this is a formidable force that can help us achieve our goals and achieve more victories. We are still finalizing the full picture for the next season, and we will announce our plans at the appropriate time, but for now, we are very pleased to have such a strong lineup behind the wheel of our WRC cars’.
