After sustaining rib injuries from a mountain bike fall after the 2023 season, the Welshman had to postpone his pre-season tests, but he is now fit to race.
Last week, Evans piloted the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 car first in Finland and then in France a few days later.
“The worst is now behind, and I feel good in the car. That’s important,” says Evans.
Last year, Evans was in contention for the world championship against his teammate Kalle Rovanperä. However, Evans’s challenge ended in the penultimate round in the Central European Rally, where he crashed into a barn.
This year, Evans has a better chance at the title, with Rovanperä participating in only a selection of events. His strongest competitors, Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak, are from the Hyundai camp.
“We made good progress in 2023 and resolved the issues we had in 2022. That was a positive thing,” admits Evans.
“Of course, you cannot be satisfied if you didn’t win the championship. Still, I managed to secure three victories during the season, the highest number for me in a single season. It shows that we are moving in the right direction.”
Evans anticipates another challenging season, even though some top drivers will only compete in selected rounds. In addition to Rovanperä, Sebastien Ogier, Esapekka Lappi, Andreas Mikkelsen, and Dani Sordo are part-time drivers this year.
Evans refutes suggestions that the championship is now easier to win.
“The championship battle is as open as it has always been. Any of the top team drivers can succeed and reach the podium in almost every rally.”
“Although there aren’t as many cars in the top class as we would like, the competition is still fierce. It remains very difficult to conclude a weekend victoriously,” Evans notes.
The season-opening Rally Monte Carlo is scheduled for next week, January 25-28.
