Elfyn Evans, leader of the World Rally Championship (WRC), has emphasized that the competition for the title remains “very open” due to the recent cancellation of the Saudi Arabian Rally. Additionally, he has expressed that they cannot afford to “sail through” the upcoming event, which will take place in Sardinia in January.
The decision to suspend the event, scheduled for November 11 to 14, is due to the alarming conflict situation in the Arab world. Thus, the WRC season will conclude one round earlier than expected, making Sardinia the last opportunity for drivers to fight for the title.
Thanks to his current points tally, Evans stands out as the favorite to secure his first title, holding a 17-point lead over his Toyota teammate, Sami Pajari, while Oliver Solberg, winner of the Chile Rally, is 21 points behind.
With 35 points available in the gravel stages of Sardinia, Evans has stated that at least the competition continues with intensity. “I can’t change my way of competing,” he indicated, emphasizing the importance of taking each round seriously, regardless of the championship situation.
Evans has commented that a potential replacement round for the Saudi Rally would have been well received, with speculation about the possibility of holding the Catalunya Rally in Spain. “I don’t know why it didn’t take place, but it seems it was impossible on this occasion,” he reflected.
The CEO of the WRC, Eric Boullier, has confirmed that the decision to cancel the event for safety reasons was made after extensive discussions among all parties involved. He added that introducing a replacement would not be viable without ensuring the proper conditions.
Despite the frustration over the cancellation, the head of the M-Sport-Ford team, Rich Millener, acknowledged that it was the right decision not to rush into organizing a replacement round that might not meet WRC standards.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
