Confirmed
Lappi returns for Rally Chile with Hyundai
Finnish driver Esapekka Lappi will pilot the third Hyundai factory entry at Rally Chile in September 2026, marking his latest WRC outing.
Hyundai Motorsport confirmed that Finnish driver Esapekka Lappi and co-driver Enni Malkonen will contest Rally Chile, scheduled for September 10-13, as part of the team's third factory entry in the 2026 World Rally Championship season, according to Autosport. This announcement clarifies Lappi’s schedule following his recent retirement from Rally Finland, where he and Malkonen rolled out of fifth position during stage four of the gravel event, according to Autosport.
Hyundai is rotating three crews through its third i20 N Rally1 car this season, with Hayden Paddon and Dani Sordo also sharing duties. The team previously allocated gravel events between Sordo and Lappi; however, Hyundai subsequently named Paddon for Rally Paraguay, which will be his first gravel appearance of the season.
Hyundai's Rotation Strategy
Hyundai Motorsport's decision to rotate its third crew among Lappi, Paddon, and Sordo provides varied experience throughout the championship. This strategy allows the manufacturer to assess different drivers in diverse conditions, ensuring comprehensive feedback for vehicle development and performance optimization across the various WRC rounds. For instance, Paddon's upcoming participation in Rally Paraguay will specifically mark his first gravel outing of the year, demonstrating the rotational nature of the team's approach for the third car.
Recent Form and Past Chile Performances
The confirmation of Lappi's participation in Chile follows his successful defense of the Finnish Rally Championship title last weekend, where he and Malkonen secured victory at Ralli Kitee. Lappi commented on this achievement: “Although this achievement isn’t comparable to winning the World Rally Championship, or necessarily even a WRC round, we never come to these rallies to mess around – we always drive to win. We take it completely seriously”. He added, “Of course, it’s probably expected that we’ll take care of this championship, but something can always happen, and as you get older, your pace can slow down. But we were still able to give the youngsters a run for their money”.
Lappi has competed in Rally Chile on three previous occasions, achieving his best result in 2019 when he finished sixth while driving for Citroen in the inaugural WRC event held in the South American nation. Despite showing competitive pace for Hyundai in both the 2023 and 2024 editions of the event, the Finnish driver unfortunately retired on both occasions.
Looking Ahead to Rally Chile
The return to Rally Chile presents an opportunity for Lappi to convert his proven speed on gravel into a strong finish, aiming to avoid the retirements that plagued his recent appearances there. His experience with Hyundai in previous seasons and his consistent performance in the Finnish Championship position him as a competitive contender for the upcoming event. The next F1 round, the Dutch Grand Prix, is scheduled for August 21, at 13:30 Finnish time (sprint weekend).
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Confirmed, which means the people involved have said this on the record. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Aino Virtanen.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- Autosportautosport.com
- Motorsport.commotorsport.com
