Elfyn Evans made World Rally Championship history at the weekend by scoring more points (35) from a single round than any driver ever has.
By becoming the first driver to maximize the new points system – which offers 25 for a rally win, and an additional two sets of five for the best powerstage time and being the quickest on Super Sunday – Evans has moved himself into a 28-point lead after just two rounds.
But he is acutely aware that that 28-point margin perhaps flatters to deceive.
“It’s definitely been a good start,” Evans told DirtFish, “but obviously it’s just so sensitive in a way, the points system.
“Like if I’d had another repeat of my morning stage today [Sunday], I could have finished fourth and, you know, have very little day points [either].
“It just shows how critical Sunday is, especially when you’re in a tight fight now with the points that’s on offer.”
Evans won Super Sunday in Sweden by 0.8 seconds, and the powerstage by 0.1s. So in effect, less than a second gained him two championship points.
He won Super Sunday in Monte Carlo too by a similarly small margin (1.1s), with the third-placed driver only 1.8s adrift.
These are such fine margins, but Evans is equally finding himself on the right side of them.
That cannot be a complete coincidence, and it’s clear Evans has started the season very strongly – while also addressing what was one of his weaknesses (Sunday points) against world champion Thierry Neuville last year.
But he doesn’t see things as an off-season transformation, as he is quick to point out this form also stretches from the back end of 2024.
Rally Chile, last September, began a streak of finishing first or second in five consecutive events
“I don’t remember exactly, but I think we had three podiums, or two seconds and a first, to end last year,” he correctly recalls. “Obviously, we managed to continue on a good way at the start of this year.
“But I think a lot of things have sort of gone my way with the way the new tire has been driving and all the rest of it has probably suited my style. But at the same time, [Monte and Sweden are] two very specific events and it probably doesn’t count for a lot for what we’re going to face for the rest of the year.”
Maybe not, but it’s a lot better to be ahead than behind. And with 61 points to his name, Evans also has the distinction of holding the most championship points in WRC history after just two rounds.
But, ever the realist, Evans isn’t getting carried away.
“We really have to wait and see,” he said. “I don’t think we can read too much from the first couple of rallies.”
