World Rally Championship leader Elfyn Evans says he would have no issues with wearing the drivers’ crown if this season was concluded after six rallies.
With the Monza Rally added to the schedule, the series is now looking at an eight-round calendar, but officials are painfully aware that the WRC – like every other major global sporting series – hangs on ever-changing decisions made by governments in response to the coronavirus pandemic around the world.
FIA rally director Yves Matton recently told DirtFish the title would be awarded if there were no further WRC action this season.
Matton said: “I think we have some proper battles from the last events. The rules are quite clear: if tomorrow’s situation is like that [and rounds seven and eight are canned], we will award the title for the World Rally Championship, yes.”
And Evans confirmed he would accept it.
“The championship has been played to this point and whoever is on top at that time is the champion,” he told DirtFish. “It’s not normal circumstances, but everybody’s had the same opportunity.”
Asked how he felt about the inclusion of the Monza Rally, Evans added: “We knew this was going to be a possibility. We knew the championship and the year was wide open when you are faced with cancellations and additions. We knew this when we left México [in March] – the rest of the year was always going to be uncertain.
“I wasn’t surprised or even that disappointed when I heard the news of Monza. I wasn’t surprised because I expected it.”
Evans said the switch to two asphalt rallies would tilt the balance back in his favor, after he and Toyota team-mate Sébastien Ogier bore the brunt of the Sardinian road sweeping duties last week.
He added: “We have an opportunity to compete on a more equal footing that benefits us rather than the opposition. We always have to be ready to react and we have to do that now and prepare as well as we can for the next two rounds.”
