Welshman aiming high on World Rally return
M-sport is confident it can still give Elfyn Evans a chance of finishing fourth in this year’s World Rally Championship, even though he will miss a third consecutive event in Turkey next week.
Evans injured his back in a heavy landing at Rally Estonia in the middle of July and was advised to sit out the subsequent WRC counters in Finland, Germany and Turkey. Evans now has the all-clear to return to M-sport’s Ford Fiesta WRC in Wales, an event he won two years ago.
Evans, who is just two points behind fourth-placed fellow Brit Kris Meeke said: “I’ve been working really closely with the specialists and it’s great to know I’ll be fit and ready to contest my home event in Wales. There’s something special about competing on home soil, this is the rally I look forward to every year – the support we get there is incredible. When I come back I want to be at full strength and able to pick up where we left off – challenging for the top results over the final part of the season.”
M-sport team principal Rich Millener backed Evans or his team-mate Teemu Suninen to land a tightly-fought fourth place at the end of the year.
Millener said: “Elfyn and Scott [Martin, co-driver] had a really strong start to the year and we’re all hoping they can continue that same performance on their return. We’ve not had the best of luck recently, but we’re focused on giving Elfyn and Teemu their best chance of fighting for fourth place in the championship – a battle which currently has five drivers separated by just 10 points.
“Knowing when Elfyn will be back is a big boost for the team heading into the final part of the season.”