The South Korean marque has moved swiftly to find a replacement for 2019 world champion Tanak, who exercised an option to end his deal with Hyundai a year early last month.
Lappi is however expected to fill the seat vacated by the Estonian and join Thierry Neuville as the team’s two full-time drivers.
The move will see Lappi leave Toyota having returned to the WRC’s top flight this year in a partial campaign, driving the third factory GR Yaris alongside eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier.
As for Hyundai’s third i20 N, it has been reported in Spanish media that Dani Sordo is set to be retained, although the identity of driver which he will share the car with is yet to be revealed.
The team has evaluated several drivers to fill the position held this year by Oliver Solberg, who will part ways with the Alzenau operation at the end of the season.
Hyundai’s WRC2 driver Teemu Suninen is understood to be among the candidates in the frame for the drive. The Finn and former M-Sport WRC driver was called upon to test the i20 N for the first time two weeks ago to help develop upgrades for next year.
However, 2021 WRC2 champion Andreas Mikkelsen, M-Sport’s Craig Breen and former factory Toyota and Citroen driver Kris Meeke are thought to have been on the team’s shortlist.
“If everything is fine then next week we will be able to announce something,” Hyundai deputy team director Julien Moncet told Autosport.
“This is still to be confirmed but hopefully that is something we can achieve. Obviously our focus right now is Rally Japan because we want to achieve a good result.
“Honestly speaking not everything is finished. We want to wait for all the confirmations.
“For sure [I’m happy with the driver-line-up]. We have lost Ott which is a big loss for us and this has changed or upset a little bit our plans, but there are some other opportunities.
“I think we have come up with something quite solid and interesting, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Latvala downplays Tanak to Toyota suggestions
Lappi’s anticipated move to Hyundai has resulted in Toyota reshuffling its driver line-up for next year which is also expected to be announced later this month.
Toyota team boss Jari-Matti Latvala had intended to field an unchanged roster for next year featuring world champion Kalle Rovanpera, Elfyn Evans, Ogier and Takamoto Katsuta.
While remaining tight lipped on the prospect of Lappi’s exit, Latvala has confirmed that his team will now undergo changes.
“I said in Spain that when you have drivers and you winning all the championships what is the reason to change but things started to change after Ott left and there has been some different processes happening and we will see some changes later on,” Latvala told Autosport.
Asked if the team has secured its 2023 line-up, he said: “There are still bits to work out. There is options. I must say there are many drivers in the World Rally Championship that we could have.
One of those options doesn’t appear to be Tanak, whose Hyundai departure triggered suggestions that he could re-join Toyota.
Latvala believes M-Sport Ford would be the best option for Tanak for the sake of the championship.
“Thinking about the future of the sport it would kill it if you had three world champions in one team,” he added.
“I think for everybody it would be best if he drive for M-Sport because then there would be top drivers in every team, so the championship would be exciting as the cars are so close to each other.”
