Sébastien Ogier’s decision moving away from the WRC and competing only part-time with Toyota Gazoo Racing forced the team to strengthen for the 2022 season. And as the saying goes, the bad known is better than the good unknown. Leaving aside the negative nuance that the phrase undeniably has, the Japanese firm opted for an old acquaintance of the project and gave Esapekka Lappi a second chance. The Finn raced for Toyota for two seasons, in 2017 and 2018.
In that time, Lappi scored one win and four of his eight WRC podium finishes., although his performance was not enough to continue in the team. Esapekka signed for Citroën and then competed for M-Sport, but Lappi couldn’t quite find his place. For that reason, the Finnish driver sees his return to Toyota Gazoo Racing as his last chance to settle into the WRC’s elite. And so far it has started in the best possible way, since in his first rally with the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 he managed to get on the podium.
The 31-year-old Finn returned to the premier class of the World Rally Championship as an official driver for a brand with a third place finish at the recent Rally Sweden, all after being more than a year away from the highest category of the WRC in these terms. It is true that Lappi disputed three rounds of the World Championship in 2021, one of them at the controls of a Toyota Yaris WRC with the pressure of being risking the signing of him by the brand, but the implications are different and that is why Lappi knows that he cannot make any mistake.
In fact, Esapekka Lappi has been very clear Regarding his role within the championship and the Toyota team: «I already have a lot of experience in the WRC. I think I’ve pretty much proven what I can do, so it’s not about proving me. same. It’s crazy to think where I was twelve months ago and where I am now. Everything changes in a very short time, for better and for worse. Considering this, I think this second chance is almost a gift, but I also guess it’s the last chance.».
In this line, the Finn has added: “If you get very excited about certain things, you can take a little more pressure and that can make it more difficult. The best thing is to keep calm and, in that, the last year has helped me. We have had a year and a half at home with the pandemic and that makes you understand life outside of sport. Rallies are my passion and they are important to me, but there are other things that are also important. I have a good balance, so I’m going to really enjoy this second chance».
Photos: FIA WRC