Elfyn Evans injects pace into championship race

Drivers from 11 countries will tackle the revamped British Rally Championship that begins tomorrow with Rally Mid Wales, while here at home four national champions compete in Sunday’s opening round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, the Hotel Ballina/Kennedy Motors Mayo Rally in Ballina.

A one-year sabbatical and the switch to R5 cars has resulted in a more invigorating BRC and, with World Rally competitor Elfyn Evans contesting the series in the M-Sport-prepared Ford Fiesta R5+, the barometer of pace is at a very high level.

Evans has the advantage of having plenty of seat time, unlike former triple British champion Keith Cronin, who returns to the series in a DGM-prepared and run Citroen DS3 R5. Evans has probably done more rallying in the last two months than Cronin has in the past two years. Indeed, the West Cork driver is under no illusion and reckons it may take a few events to get to the speed of the Welshman.