WRC, Sportrik Media – Esapekka Lappi conceded he has been unable to challenge Toyota’s leading trio during Friday morning’s stages at Rally Sweden 2026, despite emerging as the top Hyundai Motorsport driver after four special stages.
After SS4, Lappi sits fourth overall, 34.9 seconds behind rally leader Elfyn Evans. The podium positions are currently locked out by Toyota, with Evans ahead of Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari.
Lappi admitted that his confidence in both the car and the Hankook tyres has yet to reach an optimal level on Sweden’s demanding snow and ice stages.
“Yes, it’s enjoyable, but I always have to be cautious. I need to drive carefully. And as soon as I try to go a bit faster, the car hits the snowbank,” Lappi explained after returning to service on Friday.
“I simply cannot increase the pace. I don’t know if it reduces the enjoyment, but of course I would like to go faster. At the moment it is very difficult.”
The Finn outlined a comprehensive list of setup changes he intends to discuss with Hyundai engineers, including geometry adjustments, ride height, stabiliser settings and damper configuration.
“Alright, let’s change the geometry, the ride height, the stabiliser settings and the shock absorbers. Let’s start from there,” Lappi said.
Rally Sweden marks Lappi’s return to the top class of the World Rally Championship after nearly 18 months away. He acknowledged that the gap between testing conditions and competitive pace has proven more significant than expected.
“In testing the car felt like this and there was nothing wrong, I was just driving. But now you look at the times and realise we are ten seconds down. We need to add speed, but I cannot drive any faster.”
“Maybe it’s the braking,” he added.
With four stages remaining on Friday following the mid-day service, Hyundai faces a crucial window to unlock performance and close the gap to Toyota before the rally enters its decisive weekend phase, concluding on Sunday.
Baca Juga
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