The World Rally Championship has seldom been on the cusp of such a big change.
A new commercial rights owner, coupled to radically different technical regulations, makes 2027 one of the least predictable seasons ever – but equally a season packed with opportunity.
For the WRC in general, and for its competitors.
Young stars hoping for their chance on the biggest stage, teams craving a competitive reset to improve their fortunes, or experienced hands keen to return and demonstrate their ability; everybody wants a piece of it.
But not Esapekka Lappi.
The Finn flew home from Concepción in September 2024 content that his world rallying story had been written. He turned his attention to Rally2, the Finnish forests and a national title.
The call to return with Hyundai for a part-time program in 2026 was a pure bonus. He didn’t immediately say yes. He thought about it, and eventually accepted.
“It was a really good break,” Lappi reflected to DirtFish, “just to do some national events, you know, to have fun without any pressure with your old friends.
“And then also with Enni [Mälkönen, co-driver] – 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.”
But don’t mistake that for Lappi wanting to do more of it.
Persevering on challenging Safari brought Lappi best result of his two WRC starts so far in 2026: fourth overall
He had been a full-time driver for Hyundai in 2023, but scaled that back to a partial program in 2024 so that he could spend more time with his family.
That only intensified last year, with far fewer days away and the events he did travel to being far closer to home.
Despite Lappi offering plenty to his current employer Hyundai, or a new constructor looking to enter the championship, he has no interest in a full-time program for 2027.
“No, because I cannot,” he declared. “It’s too much [time] away from the kids. I don’t want to commit that.”
Lappi is in the WRC purely on his own terms and is benefiting from the perfect blend of competition and family time. Not even a radical change like 2027 can lure him away from that balance.
