Esapekka Lappi Backed to Bounce Back at WRC Finland 2026

Esapekka Lappi has received full backing from Hyundai Motorsport to bounce back at WRC Finland 2026 after his Rally Estonia result was judged not to reflect his true potential.

Lappi finished only eighth in Estonia, more than three minutes behind the winner, despite arriving with high expectations. However, Hyundai team principal Andrew Wheatley believes the tight schedule between shakedown and the opening special stage left the team with insufficient time to assess the setup before competition began.

“I think we struggled a little bit in Estonia because the shakedown and the first stage were so close together,” Wheatley said. “Normally, after the shakedown, you have time to go through the data and assess what still needs to be done to the car before the rally starts.”

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According to Wheatley, that situation made even small setup problems difficult to correct. If the car was not in its ideal window after shakedown, the driver effectively started the rally on the back foot and faced a difficult recovery throughout the weekend.

The situation in Finland is different. Hyundai has had more time to analyse its data and refine the car before the competitive stages begin. Wheatley believes Lappi will be in a much stronger position if he can stay close to the pace of his two team-mates.

Lappi’s preparation has also been more structured following test programmes in Estonia and Finland. Wheatley believes the contrasting characteristics of the two rallies previously forced constant changes in approach, while this week’s preparation has given Lappi a clearer understanding of what is required on Finland’s fast gravel roads.

Following Rally Estonia, Lappi also had the opportunity to compare his driving data more closely with Hyundai’s other drivers. That analysis allowed the team to identify small areas where additional performance could still be extracted from both driving technique and car use.

WRC Finland 2026 now gives Lappi the opportunity to demonstrate that his Estonia result was not representative of his true pace, with Hyundai expecting a significant step forward from its home driver.