WRC Finland 2026: Esapekka Lappi Ruled Out

Esapekka Lappi has been ruled out of WRC Finland 2026 after further inspection revealed rollcage damage to the Hyundai he crashed on SS4.

Lappi had initially been expected to have a chance of returning on Saturday under Super Rally regulations. However, the condition of the car following the Sydanmaa accident ended that possibility and brought his home rally to a definitive conclusion.

Hyundai Motorsport’s problems continued on SS5 when Thierry Neuville ran wide and damaged the left-front suspension. Neuville still reached the finish but lost almost two minutes to Sebastien Ogier.

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Hyundai Sporting Director Andrew Wheatley viewed the incidents as a consequence of the commitment required to fight at the front. “If you want to compete at that level, you have to drive right on the absolute limit. And when you’re on the absolute limit, mistakes can happen,” he said.

Wheatley stressed that Hyundai had invested heavily in preparation because it believed the car could be competitive in Finland. Following Lappi’s retirement and Neuville’s delay, Adrien Fourmaux became the team’s only driver still directly involved in the leading battle.

Fourmaux sits second overall, just 5.3 seconds behind Ogier. Wheatley admitted Hyundai was slightly surprised to see the Frenchman ahead of several Toyotas given the Japanese manufacturer’s expected strength at its home rally.

“Adrien has been driving fantastically well. He doesn’t look like he’s driving on the absolute limit. Everything seems very controlled, and he’s clearly confident that he can be competitive,” Wheatley said.

WRC Finland 2026 continues on Friday afternoon with Hyundai now relying on Fourmaux to maintain pressure at the front, while Neuville attempts to recover lost ground and Lappi’s event is officially over.