This. Hyundai needs to improve their lineup. Lappi works best as a 3rd driver
1 Neuville
2 ?
3 Lappi
4 Suninen/?
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Lappi is doing the job he's been asked to do and in the conditions he's been allowed (remember Cyril said he was proud of EP for pushing in... Mexico? After he crashed but had good pace). He's a good second driver but now maybe that he's proved his pace he should relax a bit — and anyway anyone can make a pacenote error
Noone is saying he isnt doing a good job. I'm saying theres no chance for Hyundai to win manu championship with Lappi as second option.
What is actually Lappi being asked for? Kinda hard to read. As mentioned in Mexico CA was (seemingly?) happy that he pushed and crashed. But then Sordo was considered a safe scorer. Now Sordo seems to be slipping. Is it still Lappis job to push?
Sure it can work for one of the drivers of the team to have that job, but then you need to pair them with "safe" points scorer. When Sordo isn't that, who can be? Hard to tell if Suninen can, likely not for all rounds. Also difficult to have part time drives as safe scorers, those are more likely to charge and risk.
Lappi can also work as safe point score if ordered to, like it seemed he was last year after Finland.
Are the Stellantis people Neuville is talking to here at 5.50 old buddies from the Citroen Junior WRT days?
https://youtu.be/Vk6_7HDU3e0?t=328
Lappi is there to fight the top guys to take points away for Neuville, and when he's not crashed he's done that (or even collected the points after Neuville's own accidents). Worst case Lappi and Neuville are equally inconsistent and the third driver is always there to collect the points.
I would disagree slightly, Hyundai's biggest probelm with regards winning a manu tutle is Ogier being at Toyota with Rovanpera, over the course of a season I think Lappi could beat Evans with regards 2nd drivers but Ogier is an almost guaranteed few wins which is something no 3rd driver at Hyundai is offering. Admittedly Lappi also certainly needs to improve his consistency, in my opinion he has largely shown better pace than Evans this year but not the results.
My 2024 reading of the palm:
Toyota
Evans
Tanak
Katsuta
Ogier
Hyundai
Neuville
Rovanpera
Lappi
Suninen / Lindholm
M-Sport
Loubet
Fourmaux
Munster / anybody who can pay