Esapekka Lappi: “Very bad news for me”

Esapekka Lappi finds himself on foot for 2020 after the announcement of the withdrawal of Citroën Racing. The Finn was quick to react after confirmation of the French firm's WRC program being discontinued.

Published on 20/11/2019 à 12:52

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Recruited at the same time as Sébastien Ogier to lead the charge for Citroën Racing en WRC in 2019, Esapekka Lappi is the victim like the Frenchman in the announcement this morning of the removal of the brand from the WRC chevrons.

Author of three podiums this year in the World Championship (2nd in Sweden, Finland and Turkey), Lappi seemed to be in difficulty for a good part of the season, before finding more performance in the last rallies.

Désormais sur le marché des transferts, « EP » va devoir vite rebondir, sachant que les places disponibles pour 2020 seront comptées. Seuls le Toyota Gazoo Racing et M-Sport Ford n’ont pas encore confirmé définitivement leur line-up, Ogier étant potentiellement en partance pour rejoindre Toyota.

“I'm not going to lie, this is very bad news for me, for us and for the whole family of the rally, admits Lappi on social networks. I feel sorry for the staff and the fans. But no one can do anything.

Work has begun to find another seat for the next few years. It's been a short time, but I have a good and strong team around me. »

WRC 2 world champion in 2016 with Skoda Motorsport, Lappi then played part-time with Toyota Gazoo Racing in 2017 (a victory in Finland) before completing a full season with Tommi Mäkinen's team then moving to Citroën... without ever finding the path to success since.