Evans: “Quite clear we won’t catch” WRC Sardinia leader Ogier
Elfyn Evans believes the target is to consolidate second spot after admitting it is “quite clear” he won’t catch team-mate and WRC Rally Sardinia leader Sebastien Ogier.
The Toyota driver finds himself in second following a much stronger showing on Saturday after struggling for confidence on Friday that left him adrift of the podium places.
Evans also benefitted from high drama as comfortable rally leader Ott Tanak retired on Stage 12 after hitting a rock while his second placed Hyundai team-mate Dani Sordo crashed out on Stage 15.
The Welshman heads into Sunday’s final four stages 38.9s behind championship leader Ogier and 22.7s ahead of third placed Thierry Neuville.
While he believes the rally win is out of sight, Evans is determined to avoid any slip-ups and bag crucial championship points.
“It has been much better today overall the feeling in the car is pretty good now to be honest,” said Evans.
“Overall its a pretty solid day and its been unfortunate for the other guys hitting trouble; it has been difficult out there and it is very easy to slip up.
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota Yaris WRC
Photo by: Toyota Racing
“It is quite clear we are not going to catch Seb, so we obviously have to keep Thierry behind. You never know you only need one little slip up, one little problem, and it’s not such a big gap.
“We still need to be on our best tomorrow.”
Ogier was somewhat surprised to be leading the rally following the demise of Tanak, although five stage wins from a possible eight showcased decent speed from his Toyota package.
However, the Frenchman is unable to relax as he prepares to face new stages and the possibility of wet weather on the final day of the rally.
“It has been a very good day,” said Ogier.
“The target today was to catch Dani in the fight for second place and we managed that pretty quickly, as he had some trouble straight away in the first stage when he damaged his car in a water splash. So then the target was to stay in second place and then it turned into first when Ott had his issue.
“After that we managed to keep a strong rhythm and increase the gap to Elfyn and Thierry to give me a cushion for tomorrow.
“There are new stages which are always challenging [tomorrow] and there is changing weather. It won’t be easy until the end.”
Related video
Previous article
Hyundai boss refuses to make Sordo a scapegoat after WRC Sardinia crash
Next article
Sardinia WRC: Ogier extends points lead with comfortable victory
Vodafone Rally de Portugal Friday afternoon recap
Croatia Rally SS5-SS8
WRC Croatia Rally 2021 Teaser
TOP 5 reasons to watch Croatia Rally 2021!
How Hyundai's broken record gave Toyota a special Sardinia 1-2
For the second WRC gravel rally in a row, a promising Friday for Hyundai turned into desolation as Toyota gratefully picked up the pieces. This time it was championship leader Sebastien Ogier who took full advantage after Ott Tanak and Dani Sordo retired to score a memorable victory, having swept the road on the first two days
How Hyundai's latest self-destruction handed Evans Portugal victory
At one point Hyundai held the top three positions in Portugal, but when trouble struck the Korean marque's two leading chargers, a grateful Elfyn Evans was on hand to see off Hyundai third man Dani Sordo and become the third different winner in four rallies
Why the success of AVB's WRC debut won't be defined on the stages
Three years after a Dakar Rally crash resulted in him being airlifted to hospital, Andre Villas-Boas is preparing to make his debut on his home round of the World Rally Championship later this month. His goals for the event are modest, but the same cannot be said for the charities he plans to promote where his true impact could be felt
Why there's no easy fix for Hyundai's operational Achilles Heel
Hyundai Motorsport boss Andrea Adamo was vocal in his criticism of his team's tyre choices on Rally Croatia and declared that he "had better move my ass and solve it". Doing so will be vital to getting Hyundai's 2021 WRC title hopes back on track, but finding the root of the problem won't be the work of a moment
How Ogier held on after a shock bump in the road to triumph in Croatia
Sebastien Ogier was already in an incredibly tight fight at Rally Croatia before a surprise collision with public road traffic at the start of the final day. But the defending champion held his nerve to take a narrow victory and create further World Rally Championship history
Why the casualty of rallying's evolution should still be cherished
The WRC's support categories are in a process of streamlining that will spell the end of a formalised 2WD world championship-level category. While its relevance to the top level has been questioned for some time, that doesn't mean it should be swept quietly under the carpet
Why WRC's hybrid path could leave it at a crossroads
With all three major manufacturers committing to the World Rally Championship’s hybrid era from 2022, the future of the series is assured for now, but it could lead to trickier twists and turns further down the road
How Tanak froze out the competition at the Arctic Rally
Ott Tanak made up for a disastrous Monte Carlo Rally by leading all the way on the snow-kissed stages of the Arctic Rally Finland and in the process hit back at an event Toyota had been expected to dominate
