Elfyn Evans: “I've never been so close to everything going wrong!” »

From today can I say “hello champion?”

Uh (after a moment of hesitation. Editor’s note), no, it’s way too early! Much too early! (Laughs)

Be honest, what was your very first reaction when you found out that Ypres was not going to happen? It was more like “phew” or “no!” » ?

I especially felt frustrated because I had already done a lot of work on the test (laughs)! That meant that I had done that for nothing... More seriously, it's really regrettable, it's a rally that I would have liked to do. Previously, there had been a first sign with the cancellation of the event that we had to play to prepare for Ypres (the Hemicuda, 8/10. Editor's note) and it was enough to listen or read the news concerning the development of the health situation to understand that this would not happen. It wasn't a big surprise.

Were you going to discover the test?

Indeed. Previously, my only participation in Belgium was in a Condroz rally in a Ford Fiesta R1 (in 2012, Elfyn Evans went off the road. Editor's note).

Were you dreading this meeting?

I found it interesting. Certainly, Thierry Neuville had a lot of experience and I think that Craig Breen also had some advantage, but the other pilots would have been in the same discovery position as us. I consider it a chance to do something new, something different. For me, there were things I was looking forward to such as the demanding road conditions and riding at night.

Do you like this type of difficulty?

Appreciate isn’t really the word! You don't like it just before you start a special stage... But, normally, I like this kind of challenge a lot. This of course makes the roads very unpredictable, however generally I manage it quite well. Running at night is difficult. The atmosphere there is always special, a bit like Monte-Carlo and we do it too little now.

It's easy to say it today, but what would your tactic have been?

There was only one solution: go there to win. Everything was so uncertain and still is after this cancellation. There were still a lot of points at stake between victory and the Power Stage that we absolutely had to perform well there. Not believing in this strategy, I did not intend to start to play it safe and ensure a result.

Between Ypres and Monza, the end of the year was planned on the asphalt. Was it complicated for you to get back on tarmac 10 months after Monte-Carlo?

I can't answer you. In fact, since the finish line of the Monte-Carlo Power Stage, I have not competed for a single meter of testing with the Yaris on this surface. This creates some questions.

According to what you showed with the Toyota in Monte-Carlo, there is no reason to be worried…

It's true that the sensations and performances were good between Thursday evening and Saturday. However, it was a long time ago and my experience with the Toyota on tarmac is very limited.

Before Estonia, you told us that you hoped to find your rhythm before confinement. Do you think you achieved it?

Not completely. I would have preferred to perform better, even if in the end our results were not catastrophic. We experienced difficulties. Estonia was complicated. Our exit from the road during the preparation rally did not help me approach the round of WRC in the best conditions. It wasn't a big accident, but it stuck in the back of my mind and I didn't want to have another one.

As is often the case, you are demanding of yourself, because looking at the results since the resumption of the championship, you are the one of the four contenders who has scored the most points: 57 pts against 45 in Neuville and Thank you 45, and 35 to Ogier...

Maybe in terms of performance they were superior to us, which I can't be satisfied with, but arithmetically, we were better. The delamination problems in Estonia or our poor choice of tires in Turkey didn't help us, but we were able to take points in the Power Stage (4) in Tartu and win in Marmaris.

In recent years, consistency has often made the difference in determining the champion. Do you constantly keep this in mind?

Not really. What I'm looking for is to finish as high as possible in the rankings. Afterwards, it is certain that there comes a time during the event when you have to adapt your pace to the situation. In Turkey for example, I was tempted to attack more after a pair of average times at the end of the first day which had pushed us back to 4th. With the facts of the race, we didn't need it. It's certain that with such a small championship, the slightest 0 score is extremely expensive, so you have to know how to avoid it. However, I think this should not influence your performance, otherwise you can't be fast enough.

You are also the only one of the four to have scored points in all rounds. Didn't you always have the easy part?

It's true that after our good result in Monte-Carlo (3rd), we started third in Sweden, but that didn't stop us from winning. First on the road in Mexico, second in Estonia and Turkey, then first in Sardinia, we had to deal with sometimes very complicated conditions. It's a difficult position and I don't yet have the experience of Sébastien (Ogier. Editor's note) in this area. It is also clear that by starting further in the starting orders, some of our opponents had more opportunities to demonstrate their performance. Just see what did Hyundai with his third car finishing on the podium in the last three rallies.

Did you feel a change this year in your approach to racing, when you realized that you could fight for victory and the title?

Not really. Last year already, we managed to appear among the candidates for first place, but it was mainly in certain events. This year I mostly tried to achieve it everywhere. I wanted to find that consistency that we were talking about before. My approach was to give my best on each meeting without worrying too much about the result.

Did it change you to be able to win the title?

Not really… because it doesn’t mean anything until it happens! It is reality. Lots of things can still happen.

How badly do you want Monza to happen?

There is of course a possibility that this test will not take place. However, I still want to go there in the hope that we can ride there in the way it has been described, that is to say with special stages outside the circuit on Saturday. If it looks like a real rally, it will still be interesting to go. We must also not forget that the team has not given up on winning the Manufacturers' title which would also be played out at Monza.

Is it important that the title is awarded at the end of a rally and not during this period without appointments and full of uncertainties?

I don't think much about this possibility. It is true that it would be strange. I can't change anything about it anyway. All I can do is prepare as best I can for the start of Monza.

If Monza takes place, in what state of mind will you approach the event?

As with Ypres, we will go with the desire to achieve the best possible performance. During the weekend, if the situation changes, we may be able to adapt, but not at the start of the race. Our margin is not big enough to do things differently.

As the title looms, are you already feeling pressure? Do you think she will be there?

(Laughs) No, not at all! It might be, but I haven't thought about it. I manage to manage the pressure more or less well and the best way to not succumb to it is to focus on the next trip and devote all your energy to it.

In Sardinia, you told me that it was impossible not to think about it, but that it was absolutely necessary to put it aside to stay focused. Did this still disturb you during the rally?

No not at all. After losing a lot of time on Friday afternoon sweeping the last two stages, my objective was clear. I wanted to fight with the competitors close to us. It is certain that when the gaps started to be too big, I drove with my head, because there was no real chance that we would be able to get back to normal.

Given the result you need to record at Monza to obtain the title, do you give yourself the freedom to think about it a little more often or do you repress the idea?

(Smiling) I still say that it’s still too early! If we had had a very bad rally in Ypres, it would still have been possible to save a few points in the Power Stage and then try to put in a good performance in Monza. With Ypres cancelled, if something goes wrong at Monza it will be impossible to reverse the situation. People say to me, “You’ve never been this close to the title.” On the one hand, it's true, but on the other, I've never been so close to everything going wrong! The best thing is to try not to think about it.

How are you coping with this complicated period filled with uncertainties, cancellations and waiting?

We had prepared for this. With the health crisis, it is not very surprising to learn that events are not taking place or that we have to wait to see if we will still race this year or not. The only question that concerns me is whether Monza will go ahead. In order to stay focused and control what is in my power, I must start preparing for this round.

In Turkey, after your success, you said that it was not the best of your career. Are you going to feel the same way about the title? Do you think you deserve it?

It seems to me that the situation is different for a championship than for a rally. At the end of this season, we will be able to say that everyone had the same chance to be crowned. It has often happened that a driver is after the mechanical problems of others or because he was running on tires from a competing manufacturer. It is always possible to find arguments of this type, but what happened this year is not my responsibility and, I repeat, we all had identical opportunities. Personally, this will remain as an accomplishment. Last year we were a bit “the best of the rest” behind the three fastest, and this year we managed to fight with them. Before there were only three of them and now there are four of us. This cannot be questioned. If it ends like this, it will be a huge joy.

Since the cancellation of Ypres, have you ordered more bottles of champagne and reserved the room for the party?

(Hilarious) No, not at all! There are definitely a lot of questions on this topic!

A few years ago in France, before the elections, a candidate admitted that every day in front of his mirror while shaving, he only thought about becoming president. And you, what do you think about when you get up?

Oh no ! (giggles). I really don't know what I think about in the morning!

Did you try it to see if it sounded good? “I am world rally champion”?

(Still laughing) No, absolutely not! I'll see you in Monza to do it!