Lappi does not mind accepting any Toyota offer for 2023

Esapekka Lappi says that he does not have any problem to accept a part-time program in 2023 if Toyota offers him one and explains his thoughts between doing a full and a part season.

The Finn driver signed a contract with Toyota for a first time back in 2017 when the Japanese team rejoined World Rally Championship and took his first ever WRC victory in Finland that year in his rookie season.

However, he left Toyota at the end of 2018 and joined Citroen in 2019 with the intention of his becoming a No.2 driver of a team. Despite the fact that he had signed a two-year contract with the French brand, Citroen departured from WRC at the end of 2019 meaning that Lappi had no seat for the next year.

Since his contract with Citroen was in effect in 2020, he joined M-Sport Ford that year and drove a Ford Fiesta WRC in all rounds. But a WRC team did not come into negotations with him for 2021, therefore he stayed out of WRC that season and took part only in three rallies as a privateer (Arctic Rally Finland and Rally de Portugal in WRC2 class, Rally Finland in main category).

Finally, due to the fact that Sebastien Ogier decided to retire and to compete only in a limited number of events this year, Toyota offered to EP a part-time deal for 2022 which will expire after the final round of this year's World Rally Championship.

"Well there are two sides", Lappi said when hewas asked if he’d rather a full-time or a part-time season.

"For sure as a driver, you would like to get a chance to fight for the big prize. 

"Then on the other hand, the most important thing of your life is your family and then the partial season is a very good balance – with professional life in rallying and then family life.

"I am ready for both to be fair. 

"I acknowledge that I have no chance to beat Kalle at the moment or anything like this but to keep that in mind, this partial program is actually pretty good".

Source: DirtFish.com

Photo Credits: Toyota