Whether it was Albert Einstein’s initial thought or not, the general consideration is that doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome is not a great plan.
Which is why I’m slightly surprised at Toyota technical director Tom Fowler’s answer to my new year question of what does Elfyn Evans need to do differently this year?
The Welshman finished second in the world championship for the fifth time in six years last season. So what’s it going to take for him to turn silver to gold in 2026?
“I think the sad answer to that is almost nothing,” Fowler tells DirtFish.
“I think there were one or two key points of the season, mostly on Sundays – some powerstage points here and there – where he could have risked a bit more for a few extra points which, in the end, would have made all the difference.”
So, he needs to risk more. Maybe all?
Fowler pauses. Yes. And no.
He ventures: “It’s just so contradictory; everything that makes Elfyn reliable, that gives him the big block of points that he had – that big block of points that [Sébastien] Ogier had to beat in the end – is almost all the same thing which says he shouldn’t push in those times when he doesn’t feel comfortable.
“That’s why I say it’s really difficult to tell him what he should do different, because if you’ve got a block of points from a rally and you’re in the top three… then you got to the powerstage and, even though you might not be fully happy with the car or the confidence isn’t quite there, you step over the edge, potentially have an accident and you’ve dropped everything.
“Like I said, it’s really difficult for him. He did pretty much everything right last year – but he came up against Ogier in what was a pretty damned near perfect season for him. Is Ogier going to have that again [with a limited program of rallies]? In fairness it’s going to be tough.”
Ogier’s precise program has still to be defined for this season, but we know he’s not doing everything. So, Evans’ ability to retain the year-long strategy remains crucial as far as Fowler can see.
“I’ve always thought Elfyn has a championship in him,” said Fowler. “That hasn’t changed. He has a strategy and it’s not the same as other drivers, but it’s a strategy built around building points and becoming the benchmark through the season. He’s been second five times now and each time he’s only been second by a few points…”
On the back of that, doing anything majorly different would be insane.
