Esapekka Lappi has announced that his professional rallying career is over “for now”.
The 35-year-old Finn contested five events for Hyundai in this year’s World Rally Championship, and successfully defended his Finnish Rally Championship title with Škoda, but he will take a pause starting next year.
At a Škoda-arranged press conference ahead of this weekend’s season finale, Porvoon Autopalvelu Ralli, Lappi confirmed his intention to step back from professional rallying in 2027.
“I’m going to stop for now,” he said. “I’m not going to give up [completely].
“For now, the plan is not to continue in the Finnish Championship or anywhere else. I’m not going to say never, because I’ve said it many times.”
Lappi won two WRC events (Rally Finland 2017 and Rally Sweden 2024) throughout his career as well as the WRC2 title in 2016.
Lappi's start at Rally Chile 2026 will likely be his last in the WRC
He reached the podium 13 further times, posted 77 fastest times and drove for Toyota, Hyundai, Citroën and M-Sport Ford over a nine-year period.
In recent years, however, Lappi has spoken of the importance of family life, voluntarily giving up a full-time seat with Hyundai for 2024 so that he could spend more time at home.
Pausing his rallying career was not an easy decision, though.
“It makes me shiver when I say this out loud,” Lappi admitted. “This is still a sport that I love immensely and it has given me a lot. It has helped my family financially.
“Rallying is an adrenaline rush. You drive at the limits. You get a kind of high from it. Where do I get that when I don’t drive anymore? The thing that scares me the most is where I get the same feelings.”
Lappi’s life will not be bereft of rallying completely, as he will continue to nurture 16-year-old Lauri Halonen next season.
