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

Hyundai boss refuses to make Sordo a scapegoat after WRC Sardinia crash
Sardinia WRC: Ogier extends points lead with comfortable victory

Latest news
Third-generation McRae eyeing Junior WRC graduation for 2023
Third generation driver Max McRae is working hard towards stepping up to the Junior class of the World Rally Championship next season, following a test in a JWRC car.
Ex-F1 racer Kovalainen plans Japan WRC entry, eyes European outings
Ex-Formula 1 racer Heikki Kovalainen is pressing ahead with preparations for a one-off WRC outing in Japan in November and plans to contest more events in Europe in the near-future.
Hyundai cautiously optimistic after shock Finland WRC win
An unexpected victory in Finland has left Hyundai Motorsport cautiously optimistic it has turned a corner after a difficult start to the World Rally Championship's new hybrid era.
Rally legend Kankkunen to drive hydrogen-powered Toyota at WRC Ypres Rally
Four-time World Rally Championship title-winner Juha Kankkunen will drive a hydrogen-powered Toyota GR Yaris in stages at next week’s WRC Ypres Rally.
How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession
Finland may have a small population, but it has long enjoyed rallying success. Now that the nation has a new star to cheer in the form of Kalle Rovanpera, interest in the discipline is surging once again
How Tanak spoiled Rovanpera’s Finnish homecoming
Kalle Rovanpera and Toyota went into Rally Finland as overwhelming favourites but came away as runners-up to a resurgent Ott Tanak and Hyundai. While it may have dampened the homecoming party, it still moved the Finn closer to the ultimate World Rally Championship prize
Inside Hyundai’s F1-spec mobile WRC home
Hyundai is one of the World Rally Championship's big three, and has a brand-new travelling facility befitting of that status. The team invited Autosport for a behind-the-scenes look at its state-of-the-art HQ, which comes complete with all the bells and whistles you'd expect of a top Formula 1 outfit
How Rovanpera's latest Estonia masterclass left his WRC rivals stumped
After trailing Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans for much of Rally Estonia's opening day, WRC points leader Kalle Rovanpera took advantage of a change in the weather and never looked back afterwards. Winning for a fifth time this year at the scene of his 2021 breakthrough, and with a breathtaking powerstage bonus for good measure, his advantage is already looking difficult to topple
How the WRC captures its stunning visuals
Whether it’s the mountains of Monte Carlo, the snow of Sweden or the Kenya Savannah, the World Rally Championship is able to beam some of motorsport’s most spectacular footage to television screens while operating in the harshest of environments. Autosport went behind the scenes to unearth the secrets that make this logistical challenge possible
Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport
How Rovanpera tamed a wild Safari Rally
The Safari Rally acted as a brutal test of driver and car resolve as multiple retirements opened the path for a historic Toyota 1-2-3-4 triumph, headed by star Kalle Rovanpera. But keeping things clean was only half of the challenge, as a well-timed charge when conditions worsened allowed the Finn to take control
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause