Evans claims WRC championship is still ‘early days’ ahead of Estonia
7th July 2026Toyota’s Elfyn Evans has claimed the championship is still ‘early days,’ claiming his lead doesn’t mean much at the moment ahead of Rally Estonia.
Feature image credit: Jaanus Ree // Red Bull Content Pool
Evans is currently on course to secure his maiden world championship, inside the World Rally Championship, if the Rallying Gods had their way, after many seasons finishing runner-up to the eventual championship winner.
However, he now holds a 20-point lead over his closest championship rival – and teammate – Takamoto Katsuta, and 37 ahead of the defending world champion, and Toyota driver, Sebastien Ogier.
As such, if Evans maintains his championship position, he will continue to face a tough handful of rallies as the championship races towards its conclusion. This comes as the remaining events are based on Gravel, and if Evans remains the championship leader, he will be set to open the road, as per the regulations, as he did in Greece
Despite this, Evans remains cautious, claiming the championship is ‘early days,’ despite being over halfway through the season. Reported by the WRC, Evans said:
“It [leading the championship] doesn’t mean a lot and of course [Greece] has been a bad weekend in terms of points, but it is early days still.
“It doesn’t mean too much at the moment. We have just got to go to Estonia and do what we can there.”
Evans has only picked up one rally win across the season, in Japan, but his consistency is the reason the Welshman stands on top of the world drivers’ standings at the moment.
Last time out, in Greece, the Toyota driver was disappointed with the rally result after punctures dropped him down the order to seventh, despite recovering to a healthy fifth place after opening the road.
However, penalties for both Hyundai’s Adrien Foumaux and M-Sport Ford’s Joshua McErlean allowed the Welshman to climb back up to fifth place, giving him vital points which could be handy come the season finale in Saudi Arabia.
Next up is Rally Estonia, which will take place from July 16 to July 19.
Read more WRC here:
- Entry List: All Rally1 contenders for Rally Estonia
- Elfyn Evans disappointed with Acropolis Rally Greece result
- Sebastien Ogier wins Acropolis Rally Greece as Neuville suffers puncture
- Neuville remains leader of Acropolis Rally Greece as the fight tightens
- Neuville takes overnight lead of Rally Greece as other punished
- Ogier takes overnight lead after sole Rally Greece stage
- Thierry Neuville tops shakedown ahead of Rally Greece
- Thierry Neuville tops first pass of shakedown at Rally Greece
- Solberg looking to put asphalt troubles ‘behind me’ ahead of Rally Greece
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
