The all new #MotorMartinRacing news department has just received the following FIA WRC: Fresh from his history-making victory on last month’s Dayinsure Wales Rally GB, comes confirmation that Welsh rally star Elfyn Evans will be promoted within the title winning M-Sport team for the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship.
Ending weeks of speculation, the report states that the Cumbrian-based outfit has announced that the 28-year-old from Dolgellau has been rewarded for an impressive 2017 season with elevation to one of its two front-line entries, as team mate to five-time World Champion Sébastien Ogier.
And rightly so in MotorMartin’s opinion.
Evans – together with co-driver Daniel Barritt – had been campaigning a third EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC on DMACK tyres but now steps up to M-Sport’s main attack, replacing Estonian ace Ott Tänak who has joined Toyota.
“After a fantastic season for the whole team, it’s great that we’ll be a part of it again next year,” enthused Evans who finished a fine fifth in the 2017 title race and rewrote the record books by becoming the first Welsh driver to win a WRC round.
“After getting that first victory under our belts, we’re ready to take the next step and I think we all have another exciting season ahead of us,” he predicted. “Honestly, I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel and Rallye Monte-Carlo can’t come soon enough. We’ll be working hard over the Christmas break to ensure we’re fully prepared, and the goal will be to build on the success of this year.”
There were rumours that Ogier might call it a day after capturing a fifth consecutive WRC crown in Wales but the 33-year-old Frenchman enjoyed himself so much rallying for M-Sport this season that he has decided to return in the New Year.
“This season has been very exciting with some of the closest-fought competition for years. As a driver, I definitely want to be a part of that,” revealed Ogier.
“I still get a lot of emotion from this sport, and this team has so much passion. What we have achieved together has been truly amazing, and we want to continue this fantastic journey. That made my decision clear, and we will work hard to chase more success together next year.”
Confirmation that Evans, Ogier and M-Sport will be back to defend their titles in 2018, was warmly welcomed by Dayinsure Wales Rally GB Managing Director, Ben Taylor.
“We are still buzzing after what Elfyn and the team achieved just a few weeks ago in Wales, but this is more fantastic news for all involved in the sport in this country,” said Taylor. “Elfyn thoroughly deserves his promotion to the M-Sport’s main line-up and to have him and Sébastien on the entry list for next year’s Dayinsure Wales Rally GB is what we all wanted to see.”
In 2018, the UK’s round of the FIA World World Championship moves forward by three weeks to 4-7 October. Tickets will go on sale when the competitive route is revealed in Spring 2018.
Where will you go?