No driver goes into any new season without a winning ambition. That is a given. And that has been Elfyn Evans’ philosophy since he joined rallying’s top fight over a decade ago. Approaching 2024, the Toyota World Rally Team ace has all the aces up his sleeve.
He is in arguably the best car in the contest in the Rally1 Yaris, he has banked the experience from more than 100 events at the highest level and he has a free run at the silverware this term as title-winning team-mates Kalle Rovanpera and Sebastien Ogier are on part-time programmes on their side of the service park.
It was French legend Ogier who crushed Evans’ title hopes in 2020 in the final round in Italy, while Rovanpera has ripped up the history books to become the WRC’s youngest-ever title winner in 2022 and 2023. All the while, Evans has looked on enviously from his close-but-no-cigar viewpoint.
Since the 35-year-old joined the Japanese firm in 2020 after a stint at M-Sport, he has proved to be a reliable and fast driver. Seven wins have come his way including his highest-yet season’s return in 2023 when he claimed three victories and he signed off his campaign with glory in Toyota’s backyard on Rally Japan. That was a statement win by over a minute ahead of Ogier and Rovanpera.
Frenchman Ogier will continue with the part-time campaign that he is comfortable
