With Hyundai's chances of overturning a 54-point deficit to Toyota in the 2026 WRC manufacturers' championship all but gone—barring a miracle in Chile—the Korean squad's focus has shifted. The third car, shared this season by Hayden Paddon, Dani Sordo, and Esapekka Lappi, is back under the spotlight. Their mission has been straightforward: act as a rear guard and insurance policy should Adrien Fourmaux or Thierry Neuville hit trouble.
This week, Lappi gets the nod in Chile for what could be his final top-class WRC start—a full-circle moment, as he left Chile two years ago convinced his world championship story was over. Yet many have questioned why Lappi was handed the South American slot, especially after Paddon's impressive outing in Paraguay. Why give Paddon just one gravel event and not extend it to two?
With no championship permutations left to worry about—even in the drivers' standings, Fourmaux trails by 67 points—should Hyundai have been braver with its driver selection? David Evans raised this topic on this week's episode of SPIN, The Rally Pod.
“Lappi has kind of squared this one away that this is going to be his last time out, and that in itself presents a reason why Hyundai has got this wrong,” Evans said. “EP doesn't have the burning desire to take his career further at this level. So therefore, I would be tempted to try something else. Yes, hindsight is always a wonderful thing. Like you say, I would have put Paddon in there for both of the events. Logistically, it probably would have been easier. But equally, I would have just thrown a curveball and brought Kris Meeke in.”
That certainly grabbed our attention. Evans continued: “At this point of the season, you have nothing to lose. You are not going to be manufacturers' champions. You want to look to find these spikes in interest and these potential newslines that you can deliver, and to bring Meeke in, everybody would have been talking about that. It was the same when Marcus Gronholm came back in Portugal with that Prodrive Impreza in 2009, or Sebastien Loeb's multiple returns. The obvious one was Colin McRae for Skoda when he did Rally GB and Australia in 2005. I was fortunate enough to break that story, and it was an incredible story that generated thousands of column inches and now would generate massive hype on social.”
According to Evans, Hyundai missed an opportunity to bring in a Kris Meeke or someone similar, which could have provided a significant PR boost during a challenging season. “Perhaps they have just given the seat a wee bit too easily to EP,” he added. While Lappi remains a respected and professional driver, the decision appears conservative to many observers.
On the other hand, Lappi seems at peace with the possibility that this is his farewell. He will aim to deliver a strong performance in Chile, helping Hyundai secure the runner-up spot in the manufacturers' standings. Whatever the outcome, Hyundai's choice will be a hot topic in the paddock and a lesson for the seasons ahead.
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