The WRC, with the Monza Rally, has definitively greeted Sebastien Ogier. The driver from Gap has decided to abandon the discipline in which he won eight world championships – in which it must be said he will dedicate himself to some occasional appearances – choosing to prepare in a concrete way to try his hand at the WEC.
Toyota, therefore, sees in Elfyn Evans its most experienced starting driver at the start of the 2022 season. The British driver from Dolgellau, born in 1988, will be at the wheel of the GR Yaris Rally1 in the company of Kalle Rovanpera and Takamoto Katsuta, playing the role of the man who, in the last two world championships, has been able to keep up with Ogier, risking to win the world champion in 2020.
As we all know, next season will be the scene of important regulatory changes, with the WRC Plus being retired from Rally1, the first hybrid cars in the history of the category. A great year of changes to live without the rider who, in the last decade, has been the flagship of the category in no uncertain terms.
Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota Yaris WRC
Photo by: Toyota Racing
“I think next year is going to be really close,” Evans tells Motorsport.com. “There are very fast riders who will fight to emerge and establish themselves. It must be said that a regulation introducing hybrid cars like the ones we will have leaves a lot of room for the unknown ”.
Being the most experienced driver behind the wheel of the Yaris will not be equivalent to dressing the ranks of the Toyota leader, as Evans himself is keen to point out.
“I may be the most mature and the most experienced of the team, but we know that at Toyota we always start on an equal footing. There are no exaggerated pressures or too many expectations towards one or the other, I think this is the best way to handle things. Being able to count on Seb’s support again will certainly be useful to the cause for everyone ”.
Preparing for the 2022 season for Evans hasn’t gone smoothly, having suffered a bad accident in November. The team, however, is hopeful and confident in being able to field a car that can do well at the upcoming Monte Carlo, scheduled for January 20-23.
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