Evans started his season strongly, finishing second in Monte Carlo, before claiming victory in Rally Sweden in February.
After the first two rounds, Evans has already accumulated an impressive 61 championship points, leading the drivers’ standings by a clear margin.
Evans never truly felt at ease with the hybrid-equipped Rally1 cars, but since the removal of the hybrid units, he has adapted better than anyone else and has quickly learned how to get the best out of the new Hankook tyres.
However, there has also been a surprising transformation in Evans’s body language. He now appears more relaxed, happier, and more expressive. He fully embraced his victory in Sweden, celebrating enthusiastically. It feels as if the Welshman has come out of his shell.
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala has also noticed the change in his driver.
“That’s true,” Latvala confirmed to RallyJournal.com.
“You can see that Elfyn is a lot more relaxed now compared to last season. When his shoulders start to tense up and he begins gripping the wheel too hard, that’s usually not a good sign,” Latvala explained.
Top-level sports are serious business, but it is still essential to approach them in the right way – taking it seriously but staying relaxed at the same time. Evans seems to have adopted this mindset perfectly.
“That tension affects his driving. Relaxation is everything. We know how skilled Elfyn is, especially on tarmac in tricky conditions. For example, in wet and slippery conditions, he manages changing grip levels very well. When he finds that relaxed state, he performs at the highest level,” Latvala said.
“In elite sports, 95 percent of drivers or athletes are at a similar level in terms of raw ability. But the remaining five percent comes from the mental side – how well you can handle the pressure,” Latvala pointed out.
The third round of the WRC season kicks off on Thursday in Kenya.
