Half-term report: Juho Hanninen
We analyse the Finn's form so far this season
Half-term report: Elfyn Evans
Elfyn Evans is the driver in the WRC.com half-term report spotlight today:
It’s not everyday that M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson gives you a Ford Fiesta RS WRC to drive on all 13 rounds of this year’s WRC calendar. But that’s exactly what’s happened to Evans. The inexperienced 25-year-old knows he’s been given an opportunity of a lifetime. And he’s determined to make the most of it.
Having only driven a WR Car in competition once before, Evans’ brief this season has been to finish rallies and learn. Gaining experience is the name of the game and Evans has willingly accepted the challenge.
He’s done a more than competent job so far and has impressed many with his approach and speed. Finishing sixth at the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo was the best start possible to 2014 and fourth place in Mexico two months later showed another gigantic step forward.
Okay, Evans has made mistakes along the way – three to be precise, in Sweden, Portugal and Poland – but on all but one occasion he’s been able to return to action under Rally 2 regulations and completed the all-important remaining stage mileage.
For a driver so young, Evans has displayed remarkable maturity so far. If he can continue in the second half of the season like he has in the first, he should be able to turn even more heads and, confidence permitting, increase his pace by another couple of notches.
To complete a memorable first season, Evans will be looking to get as close as he can to doubling his current haul of 36 championship points on the remaining six rallies. That would be impressive.
High point
Finishing fourth in Mexico. He was told to learn the roads, complete all the stages and bring the car home to the finish. He did all of those things – and just missed out on a podium place. This was an outstanding performance in only his fourth WR Car outing.
Low point
Rally Sweden was Evans’ maiden snow event and he was doing an admirable job until the very last stage. He somehow managed to tip his Fiesta on its side and that meant he just missed out on recording his second finish of the season – on an event that is notoriously specialised. To come so far and bow out at the last minute was a bitter pill to swallow.
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