New cruel disappointment for Elfyn Evans in Croatia

Argentina 2017. Struggling with Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) for victory on the South American Power Stage, Elfyn Evans, then a resident of the stable M-Sport, lightly touches a bridge and sees success disappear by seven tenths.

Croatia 2021. In a fight to win against his teammate Toyota Gazoo Racing Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans went a little wide in the last sequence before the straight leading to the finish of the Power Stage and lost the race by six tenths.

Two missed opportunities for the Welshman which undoubtedly resonate in his mind this Monday morning after the incredible outcome of the Rally from Croatia yesterday in the middle of the day. In the lead with a 3″9 margin over Sébastien Ogier before the last timed course, especially after the Frenchman's setbacks on the road before SS17, Evans had his destiny in his hands.

If Ogier had launched a very big attack, with a lead built to 3″4 over the first half of this Power Stage, a small error upon landing a bump had caused the driver of the Yaris no. 1.

Evans, who had reduced the gap to less than 3″ before the last portion of the SS, seemed to have won the race, but his final deviation in trajectory would be fatal. “Finishing second is never the way you want to end when you go into the last stage in the lead, admits the beating of the day.

Obviously, Seb had a very, very strong last stage and unfortunately for us we made a mistake on what was basically the last real corner.

It's frustrating but at the same time it's a solid result and a very good result for the team. They did a great job giving Seb and I a fantastic car this weekend. We fought tooth and nail until the end and it was a lot of fun. »

A facade speech which undoubtedly hides a real disappointment for the Welshman, already beaten to the wire for the world title at Monza in 2020 by the same Sébastien Ogier. But the two teammates once again offered the best show for the discipline.

“It's so tense and exciting to follow the action when our drivers fight for victory like they did today, describes Jari-Matti Latvala, Team Principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing.

I really feel sorry for Elfyn, who went a little wide in the last corner and lost the race there, but they both had to push, and Seb had a brilliant final stage. »

Toyota leaves Croatia with a second double in three rallies in 2021, and takes a further lead in the Manufacturers' standings against Hyundai.

Discover the full report and analysis of the Croatian Rally, produced by our special correspondent in Zagreb, in issue 2309 of AUTOhebdo, available this evening in digital version and this Wednesday on newsstands.