The World Rally Championship season kicks off in two weeks with the iconic Monte Carlo Rally, and Toyota’s drivers have been testing this week in the French Alps.
Kalle Rovanperä began the team’s testing programme on Tuesday, followed by Sebastien Ogier on Wednesday. On Thursday, it was Evans’ turn to fine-tune the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 for the challenging Monte Carlo event.
Evans ran into trouble in the afternoon when he reportedly went wide in a left-hand turn. The Toyota ended up stuck off the road, rear end pointing upward.
According to photos from the scene, the test car didn’t sustain significant damage. Evans and his co-driver, Scott Martin, were unharmed in the incident.
For Evans’ teammates Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari, it was crucial that the car wasn’t heavily damaged. Teams typically use a single test car that each driver takes turns driving.
Evans finished second in last year’s WRC standings. The Welshman was a strong contender for the championship but retirements in Rally Finland and the Acropolis Rally ended his title hopes.
Despite these setbacks, Evans closed the season on a high note. He secured second-place finishes in Chile and Central Europe and claimed his only win of the season in the finale in Japan.
The Rally Monte Carlo will take place from 23–26 January.
