WRC
Evans hopes WRC can build on movie-style title climax
Newly crowned world rally champion Elfyn Evans hopes the FIA World Rally Championship can build on the attention generated by its dramatic 2026 title decider.
After more than 4,000 competitive kilometres across 13 rallies, the title battle came down to a final-stage shootout in Sardegna between Evans and co-driver Scott Martin and their Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mates Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson.
The edge-of-the-seat finish, which secured Evans his maiden world title, has since attracted millions of views through media coverage and social media platforms, bringing the WRC to new audiences.
The enormity of becoming world rally champion, realising a 20-year dream in extraordinary circumstances, is still sinking in for Evans.
“It has been a lot of years of trying and many times I have been quite close and didn’t quite get there. There is probably more of an element of relief at this point to finally get one over the line. But now I want to prepare for what is next,” said Evans.
Although keen to start preparing for a 2027 title defence, Evans hopes one of the championship’s most dramatic showdowns can provide a lasting boost for the sport.
“If you tried to write that script, I think someone would pull you up on it as it sounds far-fetched,” he added. “We had the puncture on the penultimate stage and then we had a shootout. I threw everything at it and a lot of things have to come together to get a good time and it wasn’t one of those runs.
Shocked crews watched the drama unfold live
© WRC
“That script would have been difficult to write for a movie I think, the way that everything played out. Right until the end there was drama so of course for the sport it is amazing.
“The sport has to be the winner of it all and obviously I didn’t do too bad out of it either. I just hope for some positive things for the sport off the back of it.”
Evans’ title success was honoured at a special event in his home town of Dolgellau in Wales last week, when thousands of fans turned out to celebrate the nation’s first WRC drivers’ champion.
Reflecting on the experience, Evans paid tribute to Gwynedd Council, the volunteers and his friend Glenn Patterson for helping organise the celebration.
“I can’t thank everybody enough for turning up and waiting at the end but also for everybody that was involved in putting the event together,” he said.
“It is a bit surreal still and I can only be very grateful for everybody that came.
“I’m sure it will be [one of the major moments of my life]. To have the Rally1 car in the centre of town just outside my dad’s car dealership is incredible.”
