You know that moment when you’re climbing a hill and you’re sure – you’re absolutely sure – the summit is just over that next crest. Only for the crest to reveal another ascent.
Do we think Elfyn Evans might be thinking a little bit like that right now? Beating Sébastien Ogier at the Monte Carlo Rally is our kind of Everest. Last month, Evans hit the summit. Only to find Oliver Solberg’s flag already in position.
The Welshman himself has talked of the need for a slightly more judicious approach to Ogier’s campaign, but how much of a concern is Solberg’s speed – not to mention his 100% winning record aboard a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1?
“We’ve talked about this in the team,” said Toyota’s technical director Tom Fowler. “Elfyn comes to Monte to fight with Séb, he fights him, holds him off and then somebody else goes ahead of him! We felt already from the start of the rally that he had made this kind of, I don’t know if promise is too strong a word, but he’d made this pledge to take Séb more seriously when he’s doing his part-time season. If Séb was the car around him, he would make more of a concerted effort to make sure that he took points from him because he doesn’t know what he’s going to do at the end of the season.
“When he came to Monte Carlo, we were already under the impression that Elfyn was there to fight with Séb for the championship’s sake, not for the glory of Monte. And the reaction we’ve seen from Elfyn to what happened last year [when he lost the championship to Ogier], it’s been a good one so far. At the same time, I think he needs to keep some of that reaction a little bit under control for the reasons we’ve discussed in the past: one of Elfyn’s primary strengths is his consistency and ability to take points.
“There have been times in seasons before where he’s been a bit more on the limit and had some accidents and some difficulties – I think he knows that’s not the place to go now.”
Fowler admitted Solberg’s pace across the spread of the season was something which still needed to be understood.
“Oliver could come in and dominate,” said Fowler, “but from Elfyn’s point of view he almost needs a reset on who he’s fighting against and in what circumstances. Elfyn could base his strategy on what he saw last season, but now there’s this new contender who seems like he could be even stronger.
Fowler feels Evans will back himself to be the best on wet Tarmac
“In the drivers’ minds, they all have a hierarchy of competition. When they go into a stage, they don’t know what the time is. They’re driving completely blind and they don’t know how they’ve done relative to anybody else until they get to the end, and even maybe until 20 minutes later on the road section if the car’s behind them. If it’s fully wet, raining on Tarmac, then Elfyn knows he’s really good. And that probably he’s going to be faster than any other driver.
“Elfyn knows where Séb’s at on pretty much all surfaces, but with Oliver it’s going to be something of a voyage of discovery for both of them. Looking at this, I think the big winner out there is going to be the spectators!”
