It’s a team sport, and there aren’t many more effective at playing the game – certainly not right now.
The World Rally Championship is littered with examples of drivers who have perfectly fulfilled the ‘third driver’ role; Hyundai’s Dani Sordo’s perhaps the immediate name that springs to mind.
But what makes this such the perfect fit is the driver’s preference for this role. He’s not seeing his part program as a launchpad for more outings; select WRC events suit him perfectly.
And his performances show it, so much so that he has the second-highest average driver rating from Colin Clark so far in 2026 – only surpassed by world championship leader Elfyn Evans.
(You can read all the driver ratings columns by joining Club DirtFish.)
Lappi has performed at a very high level in his two events this year
The driver we’re talking about is Esapekka Lappi, who himself feels like he is the perfect third driver for Hyundai.
“I do think I’m doing exactly the third driver role, so I think they cannot complain much so far,” Lappi told DirtFish.
In Sweden Lappi was the highest-performing i20 pilot, but finished behind Adrien Fourmaux for tactical reasons. In Kenya, the Finn deliberately took a cautious approach throughout the entire weekend and was rewarded with fourth place – helping Hyundai outscore Toyota for the first time this season.
Two rallies, two big ticks in the box.
“Yeah I agree, I agree,” he said. “We bagged some points for the team. After Thierry [Neuville] retired [on Saturday] it was important that we come through.
Basically, we stick to the plan what we said before the rally. We let nothing to disturb that plan. Finally, I managed to finish this rally.”
The results speak for themselves, and highlight Lappi’s worth. On both events he’s started, he’s contributed to Hyundai’s manufacturer points tally. The team’s only world drivers’ champion cannot boast the same.
But more than that, it’s Lappi’s compliance that makes him a dream for Hyundai.
Throughout various managerial structures, Hyundai has never been shy of utilising its third car (driven by alternating drivers) to benefit its full-time drivers with hungry eyes on the drivers’ title. At times that’s created head aches, but not with Lappi.
The 34-year-old is so understanding of his role that he was the one who decided to let Fourmaux by in Sweden, rather than management having to tell him to.
Lappi’s had plenty of practice as a part-time driver – contesting both the 2022 (with Toyota) and 2024 seasons in such a position.
Lappi's headspace is helping him flourish in his third driver role
But the biggest change now is his perspective. Lappi had all but given up on driving in the WRC. What he’s doing now is purely a bonus.
“It was really good break and just to do some national events, you know, to have fun without any pressure with your old friends,” he reflected.
“And then also with Enni [Mälkönen], I mean, something new, you know, which I didn’t know before. And every trip you go with her, you get to know her better. So, yeah, we are enjoying now.”
Lappi’s next event will be the one where the “flag is black, blue and white” – in other words, Rally Estonia. Before then, Hyundai has another couple of aces in its pack: Hayden Paddon and the returning Dani Sordo.
