Elfyn Evans lost second place at Rally Chile, and a decisive points swing against Sami Pajari that would’ve come with it, to a puncture on the penultimate stage.
The World Rally Championship leader had been three positions ahead of closest rival Sami Pajari but fell to one spot behind in fifth when he stopped to change a wheel on SS15 of 16.
Asked by DirtFish to explain what happened, Evans said: “I can’t. Usual story but yeah, makes it more frustrating anyway.”
The Toyota driver revealed the decision to stop was more complicated than normal due to a slight issue with his GR Yaris Rally1’s TPMS system.
“We didn’t get the notification on the dash,” he said, “so we had to make sure it definitely was flat or delaminated and what have you, so it made the decision to stop a bit more difficult or prolonged let’s say than it normally would’ve been.
“But I guess it anyway wouldn’t have made any difference in the scheme of what’s happened.
“I think there was no chance to go halfway through that stage, 16km or something, with a front puncture,” Evans added, “so I think we had to stop but it was just to make sure that it definitely was a puncture before we stopped.”
Evans has led the championship since April’s Rally Islas Canarias, and will still lead after Chile but won’t score the points he was set to.
These moments outside of his control are frustrating.
“Yeah it is, but nothing I say I will change anything now,” he said. “Plenty’s been said about the situation, there’s no need to say any more.”
