Elfyn Evans doesn’t see 2024 as a missed opportunity to grab a World Rally Championship title in the absence of Toyota team-mate Kalle Rovanperä, but admits his season didn’t live up to his own expectations either.
For the fourth time in five years, Evans finished this year’s WRC second in the standings – 32 points down on new world champion Thierry Neuville.
Although he claimed as many podiums as anyone else (equal on seven with Sébastien Ogier), Evans didn’t win until the season finale in Japan; by which point he was out of title contention.
He also scored fewer Super Sunday points than full-time Hyundai rivals Neuville and Ott Tänak, despite finishing ahead of Tänak in the championship.
Helping Toyota retain its manufacturers’ title after an epic showdown with Hyundai and closing the season with a win are handy boosts, but overall Evans says he is “naturally not over the moon” with his campaign.
Evans ended his season with a win in Japan, but on balance isn't "over the moon" with his year
“[The win is] nice to have; I don’t think it’s the key thing,” Evans told DirtFish.
“I’m not over the moon with my season naturally, but of course it’s nice to finish on a positive note and of course the manufacturers’ championship was really important for the team. So to be a part of that is obviously nice and it obviously does a lot of good within the team.
“Anyway, next year we hope to be better, regardless.”
Asked why he wasn’t over the moon with his 2024, Evans added: “Obviously [if] you don’t win the championship, it’s pretty clear why you’re not happy and I think it’s clear performances that weren’t up to expectation, let’s say, and [we had] clear struggles throughout the year.
“Some bits were unlucky, but everybody has their fair share of unlucky moments throughout the year, so can’t put it all down to that.”
As they did in 2022 when Ogier – the man who’d beaten Evans to the previous two titles – stepped back, many saw 2024 as a clear opportunity for Evans with Rovanperä scaling back to a part-time season for one year only.
Asked if failing to win the title in those circumstances was a missed opportunity, Evans stressed: “Yes and no.
Rovanperä's absence doesn't make 2024 feel like a missed opportunity for Evans
“Anyway, you have to beat whoever’s there. That’s always been the case in the history of the championship. You can only compete against who’s competing for it, but the intent won’t be any less next year.
“So, Kalle being there or not doesn’t change the expectation.”
The removal of hybrid power from next season could work in Evans’ favor though, given he’s generally struggled to feel consistently at one with his Yaris since the Rally1 hybrid regulations were introduced in 2022.
The Welshman is, however, yet to drive the GR Yaris Rally1 without hybrid.
“I guess the car is basically the same car,” he said. “I hope it’ll be a little bit more agile. I don’t know what it means for the balance of the car.
“Obviously, shifting 80 kilos behind your seat is bound to change something. So, I mean, if it can go back to something that’s quite reactive and nimble, that would be quite nice.
“But let’s wait and see how it feels.”
Additional reporting by David Evans
