Elfyn Evans, the leader of the World Rally Championship (WRC), has stated that the fight for the title remains «very open» after the cancellation of Rally Saudi Arabia. The Welsh driver acknowledges that «driving in circles without committing» to the new finish in Sardinia is not a viable option.
The competition has taken an unexpected turn now that the season will end one round earlier in Sardinia, after the FIA and the WRC decided to cancel the event scheduled from November 11 to 14, due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which led the organization not to add a substitute round.
This context makes Evans, who has finished second in the championship five times, a favorite to achieve his first WRC title, with a 17-point lead over his Toyota teammate Sami Pajari, and 21 over Oliver Solberg, winner of Rally Chile.
Despite the advantage, Evans warns that the competition is expected to be intense and will not allow for any complacency. «There are still 35 points at stake in the gravel stages of Sardinia; we cannot afford a change of philosophy,» he stated.
The driver added that alternatives are being worked on to find a solution to the cancellation of Saudi Arabia. «There is indeed a lot of work behind the scenes to resolve the situation in that country. The decision to cancel the event, for safety reasons, was the right one,» he said.
Furthermore, Evans expressed that he would have been in favor of including a substitute round, like Rally Catalunya, which could have filled the gap left by the cancellation. «I don’t know what the reasons have been for why it couldn’t be done. I understand that organizing an event on this scale is complicated,» he added.
WRC CEO Eric Boullier also confirmed that the well-being of the participants was the priority when making this difficult decision, adding that it is a tough time for everyone in the championship.
Although the cancellation of Saudi Arabia has been a disappointment for many, Rich Millener, director of M-Sport-Ford, defended the decision not to rush into finding a quick replacement, stating that the quality of the championship must remain intact.
With the competitive spirit alive and well, Evans is preparing to tackle this final challenge in Sardinia, aware that his experience will be key in this decisive moment of the season.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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