The current Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT driver Esapekka Lappi is understood to have signed a deal with Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT for the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship as a replacement for Ott Tänak, several sources have reported to Motorsport.com.
After losing the seat at M-Sport Ford WRT after the 2020 season and also being away from the top-level last year by only competing in selected rallies in the WRC2 premier support class, the Finn returned this year after securing a part-time drive with Toyota and he has shared the third car with the eight-time champion Sébastien Ogier.
The 31-year-old Finn has impressed a lot this season, he managed to score three podiums out of seven rounds he has participated at. Lappi appeared likely to continue with the same program for next season after confirming negotiations were underway after the last outing in Acropolis Rally Greece.
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala has many times said there is no reason to change the driver line-up for 2023 following the great success the team has had this year. Ott Tänak announced one day after Rally Spain he will depart from Hyundai has triggered significant movement in the WRC driver market.
Some days after the announcement, several reports in Finland stated Lappi has signed a deal with the South Korean manufacturer to drive full-time in the second car for 2023. Lappi posting his privately owned Toyota GR Yaris up for sale on the internet did also put more fuel into the fire for the speculations.
The WRC2 driver Andreas Mikkelsen has been a long-time favorite candidate to take the seat in Hyundai but it seems Mikkelsen is no longer in line to secure a full-time seat at Hyundai and Dani Sordo is linked to doing eight rallies in the shared car. The shared drive with Sordo is also open followed when Oliver Solberg partnered ways with Hyundai earlier. Teemu Suninen who most recently tested the Rally1 car in Finland is hinted to take that seat with Sordo.
