The Welshman has undeniably adapted well to the WRC’s new points system, which does not solely reward the winner but allows for consistent points accumulation.
The first five rounds of the season have brought Evans three podium finishes. However, the previous event in Portugal a couple of weeks ago was a disaster. Evans struggled with pace throughout the event, and a puncture further hindered his progress.
It is clear that Evans needs to find his speed in Sardinia this coming weekend. His main rival, Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, has already opened up a 24-point lead over the Welshman in the championship standings.
“For us, Portugal was a difficult weekend, but it’s still quite early in the season and we just have to aim for some stronger rallies ahead,” Evans says, likely referring to the three fast gravel rallies in the summer.
“Every rally is important and we need to try and make the most of the opportunity in Sardinia.”
Although Evans struggled in Portugal, he believes he gained valuable lessons from the challenging weekend.
“We definitely made some progress with the feeling in the car in Portugal and we’re working with the team to try and come up with some further improvements for Sardinia, even though it’s difficult with the limted testing we have,” Evans notes.
“It’s quite a similar rally to Portugal in some ways and maybe trickier in others, but I’m sure we can turn things around and make it a better weekend.”
The Rally Sardinia kicks off on Friday morning with a shakedown. The competition, starting on Friday afternoon, will feature a total of 16 special stages covering over 266 kilometres.
