The factors behind Evans’ best-ever start to a WRC season

It may be far too early for World Rally Championship title talk, but there is no denying Elfyn Evans’ career-best start to a season has offered the Toyota driver a perfect platform for a title tilt.

The 2025 season is only two rounds old but, heading into round three in Kenya this week, there is already daylight between Evans and the chasing pack. That’s down to the Welshman scoring more points from the first two rounds of a campaign than he’s ever achieved in his 10 previous seasons in the WRC’s top flight.

Of course, there’s been evolution of the points system this year, but Evans is most certainly the driver to beat right now, having built a 30-point lead over his nearest full-time rival, Toyota team-mate Kalle Rovanpera.

Evans has seemingly quickly gelled with the WRC’s new-for-2025 Hankook tyres and hybrid-less Rally1 cars. It has resulted in elbows-out runs to second in Monte Carlo, followed by a clean sweep in Sweden, after batting away intense pressure from Toyota team-mate Takamoto Katsuta.

ANALYSIS: How Evans delivered a WRC statement victory to deny Katsuta in Rally Sweden epic

Even Evans himself has been surprised by how the first two rounds have played out.

“Very good start, very early days [in the championship] but I don’t think you could wish for much better than this,” said Evans after winning in Sweden, before adding, “I can’t really believe it has turned out quite the way it did.

“It has been a good start to the year for us. We seem to have adapted pretty quickly to the new tyre and things have gone well in both events. I think it is quite rare to put two strong results like this together, so we can be happy.”

Evans’ starts to WRC seasons since joining Toyota

*30 Points were split across Saturday and Super Sunday and Power Stage
**New points system offers a maximum score of 35 points

Indeed, Evans is correct with his assessment of his season start, as shown by a quick look at his previous results after the first two rounds since he joined Toyota in 2020. But it appears there are many factors behind Evans’ stunning start to 2025 once all the layers have been peeled back.

The obvious comparison to draw when comparing this year to the start of the previous three seasons, driving Rally1 machinery, is the fact the WRC has a new tyre supplier in Hankook for 2025, and Rally1 cars without hybrid power. Many feel this is a differentiating factor when analysing Evans’ start to the year. There is no doubt Evans has adapted quicker than most with Hankook’s new rubber in Monte Carlo and Sweden, unlike team-mate Rovanpera. Driving a car without hybrid power has also seemed to play to the Toyota driver’s strengths, according to team principal Jari-Matti Latvala.

“Elfyn wasn’t the strongest with the hybrid but, on the other hand, Kalle was the one who was able to take the most out of it immediately,” said Latvala. “There is a combination of no hybrid and new tyres that is not necessarily suiting Kalle’s driving style, so Kalle has to adapt now.”

While Evans admits these factors have played to his favour, he insists that his GR Yaris is not much different compared to previous seasons.

“I still don’t think it [the lack of hybrid] makes a huge difference, the car still feels very similar to what we had last year, but of course there are changes,” said Evans.

“I guess those subtle changes play a bit towards my style and my favour at least. It is very early days in the season and we have a set of tyres that have suited more my style, let’s say, but we have had two very specific rallies and we will never use these [winter] tyres again this year. For sure, you have to take the championship points when you can, but let’s not get too excited just yet.

“I always hope to be in the group of three drivers that can win the title, and that is always the target, but I think you would be brave to put it down to three drivers.”

Change in mindset?

The Welshman has appeared noticeably more relaxed this season

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

What has been noticeable compared to last year is Evans’ demeanour. The four-time WRC title runner-up has always been blisteringly fast on stage when comfortable behind the wheel, but in recent years finding the confidence consistently has proved challenging. Away from the stage, he is calm, modest and reserved. This has always been his nature and these inherent traits have continued, but there is something extra this year, seemingly a change in attitude and mindset that hasn’t gone unnoticed.

In Sweden it was most evident in the way Evans was able to issue a fightback when he came under attack and lost the rally lead to Katsuta. Facing a 4.5-second deficit heading into the penultimate stage, Evans didn’t settle for a strong haul of points but attacked resulting in an impressive second career Sweden win, and an event clean sweep.

“I think we all said after Monte Carlo that we have noticed a change in Elfyn,” WRC television commentator Becs Williams told Autosport. “He is a bit lighter of mood. He was in incredible form competitively in Monte but he just seemed a bit lighter in many respects.

“And in Sweden he seemed to be in the form of his life, certainly on the Sunday when Taka put him under pressure and he responded in such an amazing way. I think he is now at his competitive best, the strongest we have seen him in a long time, competitively and mentally. It is all about mindset and his mind is absolutely in the right place.”

Latvala has also noticed this change in Evans. While the 18-time WRC rally winner believes the removal of hybrid power suits Evans’ driving style, he feels the reason his driver is more relaxed is down to the fact there is less pressure on his shoulders. Last year Toyota fielded only two full-time drivers with Evans and Katsuta tasked with leading the title challenges aided by part-time drivers Rovanpera and eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier. Latvala believes this heaped the pressure on Evans, and a decision to field four full-time drivers this year, with Rovanpera and Sami Pajari added to the roster, has worked in the Welshman’s favour.

“I think this combination [of new tyres and no hybrid] is suiting Elfyn’s driving style but also Elfyn is more relaxed and I could feel it at the beginning of the year,” Latvala added. “When he knows there is more support from the team with other drivers and it’s not all about him, that is making him more relaxed.

“This is my opinion. Of course, as a team, we didn’t want to put him in that situation [last year] but, when you have only two full-time drivers, and Taka was in a situation where he was gaining more experience and not ready to fight for the title, Elfyn knew he was the only one fighting for the title so that was what was loading the pressure.”

Can Evans continue his impressive start in Kenya?

Evans has yet to jump to the top of the Safari podium

Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images

This weekend’s Safari Rally will offer up the biggest challenge of the season to date. Kenya’s brutal, unforgiving terrain and changeable weather is a test like no other for driver and machine.

On paper, the prospect of Evans building on his stellar start to the season is likely given his Toyota team have dominated the event since its return to the calendar in 2021. The Japanese brand has won the past four editions, although Evans is yet to taste victory in Africa, finishing 10th (2021), second (2022), third (2023) and fourth (2024).

The event will also mark the debut of Hankook’s gravel tyre, which could play a part in determining the winner.

“It is a huge challenge just to get to the end let alone a good result,” said Evans. “It has been an amazing event for Toyota over the past few years. I have shared some of that success on the podium but it has never been my strongest event.

“Of course, now the focus is gravel where we have to do all the learning again with the new tyre.

“I have always been pretty fast but perhaps caring a little bit too much about the car in some cases, but naturally we are going there to do the best job we can this year and I want to aim as high as possible. If a win is possible, we will do everything we can to challenge for it.”