WRC
Evans pays tribute to engineers for “amazing” Toyota package
Elfyn Evans has paid tribute to the work behind the scenes that helped Toyota Gazoo Racing secure a second consecutive 1-2-3-4 finish at Rally Islas Canarias.
Toyota surpassed 300 WRC podiums in style last weekend as Sébastien Ogier headed another dominant result for the Japanese manufacturer on Gran Canaria.
The result once again underlined the pace of the GR Yaris Rally1, which claimed all 17 stages run on the island’s smooth asphalt roads. It followed Toyota’s 1-2-3-4 domination of the event last year, when Kalle Rovanperä claimed victory.
This year, Evans went one better than his third-place finish 12 months ago, trailing winner Ogier by 19.9sec. The Welshman was quick to honour Toyota’s engineers for creating a car that has proved so dominant, particularly at Rally Islas Canarias.
“I think the guys are always working to be better all of the time,” said Evans. “It was already clear last year that we were able to achieve a balance the others aren’t able to do.
“It looks like it was the case again and you have to take your hat off to the engineers and the guys working on the car. We have an amazing package here.”
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Toyota deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen added: “It has been a fantastic rally for us with a very good result at the end of it.
“We had the same 1-2-3-4 result last year and I was dreaming that we could repeat that, and we have managed to do it.”
Evans made a slow start, by his standards, to last weekend’s rally but quickly found himself locked in the victory fight with Ogier and Oliver Solberg as the crews headed to midday service on Saturday.
After dropping back from the fight for victory, Evans bounced back on Sunday to claim the maximum 10 Super Sunday points. That was enough to move him back into the lead of the championship, two points ahead of team-mate Takamoto Katsuta.
After suffering back-to-back retirements in Kenya and Croatia, a return to the podium in the Canary Islands was a much-needed boost to his title aspirations.
“I think it wasn’t such a bad rally from Saturday morning onwards,” Evans said. “Friday was the true damage to our contention to fight for the win. At least we were able to improve and, considering the conditions, it was very close between all of us. To end like we did was good.
“There were some good things learned and some of it will be handy for [the final asphalt rally of the season in] Japan.
“It has been good. We had two very damaging rounds in the last couple, this was much better this time.”
While Evans is pleased to lead the championship again, his return to the top means the Toyota driver will open the roads when the series returns to gravel at Rally de Portugal next week.
