WRC
Evans: WRC title fight intensity won’t drop in 2026
Elfyn Evans expects the FIA World Rally Championship title fight to be just as fierce in 2026 and believes the standard “will not drop" with Kalle Rovanperä and Ott Tänak absent.
The Welshman is gearing up for another bid to lift a maiden WRC title after finishing runner-up for a fifth time last year when he lost out to Toyota team-mate Sebastien Ogier by a mere four points.
This year the WRC will feature a mixture of world champions, rising stars and aspiring rookies all with their eyes firmly fixed on glory. Two familiar faces and perennial title fighters will however be absent from the competition, with two-time world champion Rovanperä electing to pursue a new challenge in single seaters, while 2019 world champion Tänak is taking a sabbatical from full-time competition.
Rovanperä’s seat at Toyota has effectively been filled by reigning WRC2 champion Oliver Solberg, who many expect will challenge for wins this year after scoring a stunning victory at Delfi Rally Estonia last year. Defending world champion Ogier will once again return for a part-time campaign and will be eyeing more victories, confirming appearances at 10 rounds beginning with next week’s season opener in Monte Carlo.
Likewise, Adrien Fourmaux will now step up from driving the third car at Hyundai last year to being in a position to join 2024 champion Thierry Neuville as the team’s two main drivers tasked with fighting for wins and the championship. The experienced trio of Dani Sordo, Esapekka Lappi and Hayden Paddon will now share Hyundai’’s third car.
Reflecting on the championship fight that lies ahead, Evans is expecting a battle as hotly contested as previous years.
“If you lose two potential championship candidates, let's say, in theory, of course you would say that the percentage of championship challengers maybe is a bit less, but I don't think it's going to really change the overall pace of any of the rallies because everybody is anyway fighting so close,” said Evans.
Evans testing his GR Yaris Rally1 in the French Alps
© Toyota
“There are people like Oliver [Solberg], who we don't know how his first season back in Rally1 is going to go, but we have seen already that he's capable of winning rallies.
“I think the standard of the championship will not drop. But of course, there's two experienced challengers that are not there.”
After such an impressive 2025 campaign, Evans, a WRC title runner-up in five of the last six seasons, is instantly among the favourites to finally achieve his world title dream this year. Despite coming up short on several occasions Evans’ motivation for title glory hasn’t wavered.
“There is no difference, really. I just keep doing the same and hopefully find some improvements along the way. We will keep trying,” he added.
With the motivation as strong as ever, Evans doesn’t plan to alter his approach too much having showcased an impressive balance of speed and consistency in 2025, that resulted in top six finishes in all 14 rounds, including two wins in Sweden and Kenya.
“I don't know if I will change fully my approach, but I think there were a few cases last year where we were fighting, let's say, and I maybe didn't stress so much to beat him [Ogier] at the start of the year [given his part-time campaign remit]. But now, obviously, we know [the score],” said Evans.
“You always know that every point counts, and of course you want to win, but maybe you don't break your balls to try and beat him. If we're in that same position again, then maybe you have to treat it a little differently.
“He still did many rallies less, so that's not an advantage at the end of the day. But I just need to be aware that the situation can change during the year and I guess it's a lesson that every point counts."
The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver has identified the areas where he can improve that could give him the extra edge to end the year with the coveted championship title.
“I think at certain moments last year I was maybe a bit calculated on the gravel, but at the same time, they were positions where if you took a lot of risk, maybe you'd find one or two more points, but really the position wasn't going to change. I found myself running first on the road and struggling, and therefore having very little chance by the end of Friday, and then, what's the point to push all Saturday then, in a way, because you're not going to catch anybody if you're in that position," he added.
“There's many moments you can pick in the season. You can say in Portugal and Sardinia, we were pathetically slow. That side definitely is the area to really focus on because that's clearly the part where the performance was not the same as everywhere else, these dry gravel rallies, especially Portugal, Sardinia, Greece - they were the ones that were most tough.
“I think we already have a better base [set-up] to start with now than what we had, assuming it still works in Portugal and Sardinia, but it should be better at least.
“Of course, on Sundays, there were opportunities where I didn't capitalise fully. I'm sure everybody can say that at some moments, but I don't see too much changing [in my approach].”
