WRC leader Elfyn Evans is ready to lead the way in Portugal

At the wheel of his Toyota Yaris Rally1, Elfyn Evans is currently dominating the 2025 World Rally Championship. The Welsh driver has a 43-point lead over his closest rival, his teammate Kalle Rovanperä. He is sure to maintain his lead in the standings after the Rally of Portugal which will take place this weekend, Evans knows that he will have to deal with the role of sweeper on Friday in the Lusitano rally, just like in Sardinia next June. A role which was assigned to Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) last year, and which did not prevent him from winning a world crown that he had been waiting for so long. Four-time world vice-champion, will Evans be the second consecutive "Poulidor" to win the crown?

“After a good start to the season, we now enter a series of gravel events where, as championship leaders, it can be difficult to be first on the road on Friday if the weather is dry.”, he explained ahead of the fifth round of the championship, which will begin on Thursday with the Shakedown and a first special stage. "My last tests on gravel were in the wet, so the preparation wasn't ideal."

Having won the Kenya Rally by over a minute over his rivals, Elfyn Evans has reason to feel confident about the speed of his Yaris on gravel events. Portugal promises to offer different conditions, with much less rain and mud. However, the progress seen on the Kenyan roads allows the Welshman to build confidence and hope to score maximum points. Boosted after his victory in the Canary Islands, Rovanperä is now second in the championship, and he will therefore not have a huge advantage over his rival.

"The feeling was good in Kenya and even though the rallies ahead are quite different, I'm confident we can approach them in a stronger position than last year. While road cleaning is a factor, we also want to have a good race until Sunday to continue scoring as many points as possible."

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