Through this extensive interview, the official Toyota driver, Elfyn Evans, addresses the main issues related to the WRC. Among other topics, he tells us about his origins in the rallying and the important figure of his father, both in the beginning and today. It also reveals the secrets of his great start to the 2020 season with the Yaris WRC and the keys to being a new driver.

Finally, he has traveled to the future to explain what Rally1 should be like in the new era of the WRC. And all this without forgetting to confess some interesting and fun personal facts. This is the first and only British winner in Sweden and second in standings, which has already submitted its candidacy for the title.

 

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Matrax Lubricants. Your father, Gwyndaf Evans, was a great driver. Was that how his son’s passion for the motor was born?

Elfyn Evans: “I guess so! As a youngster I spectated on a few events following my father and that is sure to be where I got my interest in the sport”.

 

ML. With a father champion of the British Rally Championship, who would be faster of you if you were the same age driving same car?

Elfyn Evans: “Thing have changed so much, it’s very difficult to say. I think in certain situations his natural ability and feeling could be better than mine, but I think I am a little bit braver!”

 

ML. Is it true or a ‘legend’ that you, at 17, built a rally car for yourself? Why?

Elfyn Evans: “Yes at 16 I started to ask my father about rallying myself but he wasn’t so keen.  At that time I was working at the family dealership when I wasn’t in school and so I had started to build up a little bit of mechanical knowledge, so he said he would help, but I would need to build the car if I wanted to do it, so I started to build my own Nissan micra.  It was very basic – just a standard car with some under body protection and safety equipment but it was a start”.

 

ML. How important has your father been in your career? Does he give you any advices?

Elfyn Evans: “I would say without him it would have virtually been impossible, perhaps not so much from a driving side, but more about advice with guidance, and preparation”.

 

ML. After competing for most of your life for M-Sport Ford, was it difficult to leave Cumbria?

Elfyn Evans: “Yes of course! I had some great times at m-sport and I will always be grateful for the opportunities I had whilst I drove for the team”.

 

ML. Honestly, did you think you will have such an impressive start to the season?

Elfyn Evans: “You always have to aim high if you want to win so of course I was aiming for this sort of start to the season, but you never know if things will go your way.  Like always I prepared to the best of my ability and gave it everything – This time around I seem to be comfortable in the car and things are working out, but we know this is just the start so we must continue to work hard, and continue to find ways of improving”.

 

 

ML. You´re showing great pace and self-confidence behind the wheel. Where is the secret to defeat any World Champions?

Elfyn Evans: “I think the answer is in the question, you need to feel confident and believe in what you are doing”.

 

ML. For many, the Toyota Yaris WRC is the best car in the WRC, but what could be improved from the machine?

Elfyn Evans: “We know the Yaris is very strong and of course this is one of the reasons I decided to join the team.  Like all cars and teams we have some areas where we feel we can improve, but I won’t give too much away!”.

 

ML. Do you think you will can fight for the Driver´s title in 2020?

Elfyn Evans: “(We think so) Every driver is there to win, but I’m not thinking about the title at the moment.  We have to go to each event and deliver the best results we can”.

 

ML. After Sébastien Ogier’s departure to Citroën, you said that a pre-event Rallye Sweden 2019 was very important to find the confidence to go in your own direction. How did happen? It was a new Elfyn or a bigger Elfyn?

Elfyn Evans: “It’s true that when Seb left the team we worked on some different ideas with the cars set-up.  We got some good results on the back of this new direction and this gave confidence to follow my own feeling rather than go along with what other drivers wanted”.

 

ML. When you said “I’m not here (at Toyota) to copy Ogier”, what does it mean?

Elfyn Evans: “Basically I must make my own decisions – We are working well together as a team, but it doesn’t mean we all need to drive with exactly the same car”.

 

ML. Your first WRC round at home (Wales 2017) or your victory (Rally Sweden 2020) in your second start with Toyota. Which one do you value the most?

Elfyn Evans: “The first win in wales was very special and it will be difficult to beat that weekend in 2017 where I won my first wrc event, the team became manufacturers world champions and Seb was champion.  It was also special to do it close to my home. However some people always pointed out that I was on different tyres, etc. After coming close a few times in the past it was nice to get the win secured in Sweden where everything was the same as my competitors”.

 

ML. What do you think about the 2022 WRC new era?

Elfyn Evans: “The next generation of Rally1 cars, with hybrid technology. What about engine sound? It’s not clear yet what the new regulations will look like.  For me it’s important that the WRC remains relevant to the products the car manufacturers are selling in the showrooms, but we also have some of the best sounding, looking and spectacular cars in the current regulations so it’s important we can introduce hybrid/ electric technology to keep the championship relevant, without loosing the wow factor of the current cars.

 

 

ML. You´re showing great pace and self-confidence behind the wheel. Where is the secret to defeat any World Champions?

Elfyn Evans: “I think the answer is in the question, you need to feel confident and believe in what you are doing”.

 

ML. For many, the Toyota Yaris WRC is the best car in the WRC, but what could be improved from the machine?

Elfyn Evans: “We know the Yaris is very strong and of course this is one of the reasons I decided to join the team.  Like all cars and teams we have some areas where we feel we can improve, but I won’t give too much away”!

 

ML. Do you think you will can fight for the Driver´s title in 2020?

Elfyn Evans: “(We think so) Every driver is there to win, but I’m not thinking about the title at the moment.  We have to go to each event and deliver the best results we can”.

 

ML. After Sébastien Ogier’s departure to Citroën, you said that a pre-event Rallye Sweden 2019 was very important to find the confidence to go in your own direction. How did happen? It was a new Elfyn or a bigger Elfyn?

Elfyn Evans: “It’s true that when Seb left the team we worked on some different ideas with the cars set-up.  We got some good results on the back of this new direction and this gave confidence to follow my own feeling rather than go along with what other drivers wanted”.

 

ML. When you said “I’m not here (at Toyota) to copy Ogier”, what does it mean?

Elfyn Evans: “Basically I must make my own decisions – We are working well together as a team, but it doesn’t mean we all need to drive with exactly the same car”.

 

ML. Your first WRC round at home (Wales 2017) or your victory (Rally Sweden 2020) in your second start with Toyota. Which one do you value the most?

Elfyn Evans: “The first win in wales was very special and it will be difficult to beat that weekend in 2017 where I won my first wrc event, the team became manufacturers world champions and Seb was champion.  It was also special to do it close to my home. However some people always pointed out that I was on different tyres, etc. After coming close a few times in the past it was nice to get the win secured in Sweden where everything was the same as my competitors”.

 

 

ML. What do you think about the 2022 WRC new era? The next generation of Rally1 cars, with hybrid technology

Elfyn Evans: “It’s not clear yet what the new regulations will look like.  For me it’s important that the WRC remains relevant to the products the car manufacturers are selling in the showrooms, but we also have some of the best sounding, looking and spectacular cars in the current regulations so it’s important we can introduce hybrid/ electric technology to keep the championship relevant, without loosing the wow factor of the current cars”.

 

ML. Now that you’re homebound, are you keeping in touch with your teammates and Tommi Mäkinen?  How do you spend time? Training?

Elfyn Evans: “Of course I am in touch with Tommi and people from the team.  The situation is still quite unclear at the moment.  Now I am focused on being as fit as possible – I am running and cycling as well as doing some strength and conditioning work at home  to be as prepared as possible for when the season can restart”.

 

ML. After winning shortened Rally Mexico, Seb Ogier said “has no value” as the event “should not have happened” amid the coronavirus crisis. Are you agree?

Elfyn Evans: “It’s a difficult situation as the virus was in quite early stages when we travelled out to Mexico, but the time things started to get serious everybody had already arrived in Mexico and were ready to start the event – It’s hard to know if continuing with the event would have made any difference or not”.

 

ML. Were you afraid (in Mexico) of the coronavirus threat?

Elfyn Evans: “During the event I didn’t think about it too much, but of course we started to be wary of it when we were travelling home from Mexico”.

 

ML. What car do you drive daily?

Elfyn Evans: “Toyota Hilux”.

 

ML. Please, your hobbies (not racing) are…

Elfyn Evans: “Mountain biking, Some motorbikes if time allows”.

 

Images: Elfyn Evans Twiiter & Toyota GAZOO Racing.