Evans seeks improvement

Elfyn Evans has admitted he’s using the lengthy break before next month’s Neste Rally Finland (26-29 July) to analyse how he can improve his form after a lacklustre start to the season.

A second-place finish at Vodafone Rally de Portugal in May stands as the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team driver’s best result of the season so far and he occupies seventh in the WRC drivers’ standings.

The 29-year-old is using the six-week gap between Rally Italia Sardegna and Finland – a rally he finished on the podium last year – to prepare for the second half of the season after a ‘hectic’ start to 2018.

He said: “The break will give us a bit of time to really sit down and study where we can still improve on all aspects. The last four or five rallies have come thick and fast.

“After the mishaps in Mexico and the new co-driver [Phil Mills replaced his regular co-driver Dan Barritt at Corsica linea-Tour de Corse], the preparation in between each event has been really hectic with little time to spare.

“It’s nice to have a bit more time to head up to M-Sport and work with the guys at the team so we can try and improve even further in the second half of the year.”

Evans’ frustration at his run of results has been compounded by the strong pace in his Fiesta at recent rallies.

“We know from Portugal and the start of Italy that we definitely have the speed. We just haven’t been able to pull enough of the results together so far,” Evans explained.

“I’m excited about Finland and I’m looking forward to instilling a positive frame of mind knowing we can go there and fight. But it would be nice to get to the end of that rally.”