Why Evans is wary of Rally Japan challenge as title race heats up

The World Rally Championship has reached a point where one small error could prove costly as four drivers head into this week’s penultimate round in Japan.

Toyota’s Elfyn Evans is the driver with the target on his back holding a 13-point lead over team-mates Sebastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanpera while Hyundai’s Ott Tanak is an outside shot, 50 points adrift.

While Evans holds the advantage of being first on the road for Japan’s narrow and twisty asphalt stages, he is rightly wary of the challenge ahead. Rally Japan’s stages comprise a seemingly endless amount of corners with hazards such as slippery leaves on the road surface, and the prospect of changeable weather. One momentary lapse in concentration could go a long way in deciding the outcome of this year’s title.

Hazards aside, Evans, a four-time WRC title runner-up, will take confidence from the fact that he has already tamed Rally Japan twice before, winning the previous two editions of the event held on the roads surrounding Toyota City.

“It’s not an easy rally with very demanding and twisty stages, and in the last few years we’ve seen some quite difficult conditions at times,” said Evans.

“Even when it’s dry, there’s very little margin for error and it’s easy to make a small but costly mistake. The first key is to get through without issue, and then it’s about having a good feeling with the car and maintaining concentration for all those corners.

“We’ve had some good runs there in the past and we’ll be aiming as high as we can again to try and secure a good result for the team at home and for ourselves for the championship.”

Evans may head into the penultimate round as the championship leader, but the Welshman is taking nothing for granted despite his points advantage.

“It [the championship battle] has moved in the right direction at least, but I have been in this game long enough and have been in this position plenty of times before to know that it guarantees absolutely nothing. It is very open and it is going to be exciting until the end of the year. I have to just enjoy the fight and that is it.

“I just have to not expect anything from it. That is the bottom line. I will just go into these last two rallies and give my absolute best, and that is all.”

Rally Japan will be contested over 20 stages featuring 305.34 competitive kilometres, with the first stage set to begin on Thursday.

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