After 95 WRC begins and two victories, in addition to 15 podiums, Esapekka Lappi has known as time on his skilled racing profession after the ultimate spherical of the Finnish Rally Championship which takes place this weekend.
“As you could have heard, my skilled rally profession is coming to an finish this season,” Lappi introduced.
“By no means say by no means, however after a few years behind the wheel it’s time to deal with my household and life exterior of rallying.
“However first, the Final Dance: closing spherical of the Finnish Rally Championship in Porvoo. See you there!”
Lappi has mixed a profitable defence of his Finnish Rally Championship title with a five-round WRC programme for Hyundai Motorsport in 2026.
Driving a Hyundai i20 N Rally1 alongside co-driver Enni Mälkönen, Lappi completed sixth in Sweden, fourth at Safari Rally Kenya and sixth in Chile. His look in South America marked his closing WRC outing. Contemplating a few of his finish of stage interviews on Rally Chile, the place he was unable to elucidate his lack of tempo, maybe it’s not a shock
.Lappi and Mälkönen have already secured their second consecutive Finnish title with one spherical remaining, profitable each stage of August’s Kitee Rally of their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Lappi started his rally profession in 2007 and made his WRC debut in 2011. His breakthrough got here in 2012, when he gained all seven rounds of the Finnish championship. He went on to win the European Rally Championship in 2014 and the WRC2 title in 2016, incomes a manufacturing facility drive with Toyota in 2017.
He shortly made his mark on the highest degree, claiming a memorable victory at Rally Finland in solely his fourth WRC occasion with Toyota. He completed a career-best fifth within the 2018 drivers’ championship earlier than spells with Citroën and M-Sport Ford.
After returning to Toyota for chosen occasions in 2021 and a full programme in 2022, Lappi joined Hyundai for the 2023 season. His second WRC victory got here at Rally Sweden in 2024, greater than six years after his first win and giving Hyundai its first victory.
Throughout 9 seasons on the high degree, Lappi represented 4 producers and recorded 77 stage wins. Most got here alongside long-time co-driver Janne Ferm, earlier than Mälkönen joined him for the newest chapter of his profession.