THE SEASON THAT FAILED TO DELIVER FOR THE BRITONS
Elfyn Evans, Kris Meeke and Gus Greensmith had tough and diverse seasons. By David Evans
This was a season which promised much for British rally fans, with Elfyn Evans leading the M-sport Ford World Rally Team and Kris Meeke back after his French… hiccup last year. And both talked a good game ahead of Monte Carlo.
Evans would spearhead the British team’s effort following Sebastien
Ogier’s departure after two supersuccessful campaigns.
One thing was clear from the 2019 get-go: Evans’s attitude and maturity had changed markedly. He was a driver who had benefited from his time alongside Ogier. Albeit hesitantly, and at times rather reluctantly, Evans had talked the talk of a team leader earlier in his career, but this year he really did walk the walk.
He finished joint fourth in the championship, but should have had that place to himself. If the right-front wheel of his Ford Fiesta WRC hadn’t found that pothole on the Corsican powerstage, Evans would have bagged more points and, crucially, a second world championship win.
Losing out was tough to take, but that one was one of the key factors in the development of him as a driver. Of course he didn’t shrug it off, but there were no histrionics (Elfyn doesn’t really do those…), just a determination to put that result right as soon as possible.
Unfortunately for him, a heavy landing at Rally Estonia damaged his back and he would be forced to sit out three crucial events: Finland, Germany and Turkey.
Not that those rallies were crucial for his season, more they were perfect shop windows for him to display the speed he and the Fiesta WRC could muster on three diverse events. Indeed, Evans has finished second in Finland before and always starts Germany with high hopes.
Missing them was a blow, but again the focus was on the next step. He’d be back in Wales. Focus on coming home.
The pace on the stages where he had celebrated his maiden WRC win two years earlier was impressive again, and Spain offered a consistent conclusion to the season. By then Ott Tanak had made his move and Evans was flying to Finland for an unexpected second trip to Jyvaskyla of the season. This time he was off to visit Tommi Makinen to talk through a deal for next year. The next two years, in fact.
Saying goodbye to M-sport won’t be easy for Evans, but he’s earned himself a gilt-edged opportunity with the world’s biggest car maker.
Moving in the other direction is Meeke. Evans will take one of the seats vacated by Toyota factory men Tanak, Meeke and Jari-matti Latvala. Had it not been for the loss of his windscreen in Chile (when I say ‘loss’, it didn’t exactly lose itself… it was hoofed out after it unexpectedly went the wrong way up), a couple of moments in Portugal and Finland (and one in Spain), it’s possible Meeke could have remained in place for a second term at Toyota. Early doors, he looked strong. Points were being bagged and results stacked up. Granted, he wasn’t troubling the podium every time, but he was showing the sort of consistency plenty felt was beyond him.
Could this be the moment? Had Meeke found a way to blend his massive speed with seeing the finish on Sunday afternoon on a regular basis? It was an improvement, but still there were too many flashes of him getting the sniff of a win and forgetting the team’s bigger picture. Ultimately, that’s what cost him.
What the future holds for Meeke now is debatable. There’s talk of more Toyota testing, but that’s looking unlikely following his ‘ciao for now’ social media message to the WRC. Meeke and his swashbuckling style will be missed, as will his forthright views.
Gus Greensmith stepped up to a factory Ford Fiesta WRC and gave British fans hope for the future. His speed on all three rallies he completed (Portugal, Finland and Germany) at the top level was genuinely encouraging.
Fundamentally, he looks to have bridged the gap from R5 to a World
Rally Car and that, in itself, has been beyond a number of others.