Evans frustrated by his season: “I don’t have the same feelings as last year”

Elfyn Evans is not the most satisfied driver in WRC, and that can be understood. The double world vice-champion (2020 and 2021) was counting on the semi-retirement of Sébastien Ogier pour enfin chercher la couronne mondiale. Problème : un autre phénomène, Kalle Rovanperä, a éclos cette saison et domine outrageusement le championnat. Avec cinq épreuves restantes au calendrier, le Gallois est relégué à 104 points de son coéquipier chez Toyota et a presque déjà dit adieu au titre.

“The transition to the new car may not have been as smooth [as desired], declared Elfyn Evans, after the Rally from Finland. I don't have quite the same feeling as last year, but it's still a new car and it may take time. We're not light years away, there's no rally where we've really struggled, we've won stages and fought on most rallies, but we're just missing that last percent. Like I said, it's frustrating, but we have to roll up our sleeves to get that connection back with the car. »

Evans, not yet comfortable with the Toyota

With only 94 points (3 podiums and no victories) in the first eight events of the season, Elfyn Evans is far from her record achieved in 2021 at the same time of the season (124 points, 4 podiums and 1 victory). Above all, the Toyota driver does not compare with Rovanperä. Like his Rally Finland, where he finished 4th, his season was not what the Briton hoped for. “It was a little frustrating. We couldn't settle into our rhythm throughout the weekend. We had the problem on Saturday and it was really difficult to digest. It's hard to put my finger on what exactly wasn't going well, but I feel like I wasn't as comfortable in the car as I was in Estonia for example. »

With the new Toyota Yaris hybrid, the WRC world vice-champion does not yet feel completely at ease. Still looking for his first victory this season, the Welshman must first find confidence in his mount. “ We were on the fringes of the fight, but never really in it. I struggled a bit more with the car in Finland than in previous rallies, where I was more the problem. I never really felt comfortable with the car at any time. The car was good, but it was just missing that last bit of feedback and confidence,” Elfyn Evans admitted. He has five rallies left to find confidence in his Toyota, save his season and try to finish in second place.

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