Elfyn Evans has insisted he will not panic after a puncture dashed his hopes at Rally Chile. The Toyota driver suffered a puncture on the penultimate stage, dropping him from second to fifth.
Evans had been on course for a strong result, but the puncture undid his hard work. His teammate Sebastien Ogier, Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux, and his closest title rival, Sami Pajari, all moved ahead of him.
“We tried to be as fast as possible. We did everything we could. Everything looked quite good this morning, but unfortunately, these things happen,” Evans said at the finish of the final stage.
Despite the setback, Evans remained calm. He stated that the team would reassess the championship situation. “We did what we could this weekend and we’ll reassess the championship situation tomorrow. It will be business as usual at the next rally,” he added.
Evans salvaged what he could. The puncture cost him his Super Sunday points, but he was second-fastest on the Power Stage. Only rally winner Oliver Solberg was quicker. Those extra points could prove crucial in the title fight.
Sami Pajari took his teammate’s misfortune in his stride. The gap between the pair now stands at 17 points, down from 20 before Chile. Solberg’s victory moved him to within 21 points. The title fight is set for a fitting conclusion, with two rallies still remaining this season.
“In this sport, everything can change quickly. The fight is still completely open,” Pajari said. With two rounds left, the battle for the WRC crown is poised for a thrilling finale.
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