Evans second after a dramatic final day
ELFYN EVANS finished second on a dramatic Croatia Rally.
The Welsh driver had at one stage looked like taking outright victory, but a mistake on the final day cost him valuable time and he had to settle for second behind Sébastien Ogier.
WRC Championship front-runners Thierry Neuville and Evans ended the first day of the event level on times.
There had been nothing to separate the two drivers after eight treacherous stages totalling 120km in the hills west of Zagreb.
Neuville underlined his determination to retake the lead from Elfyn after Saturday’s enthralling penultimate leg ended with the leading three drivers covered by little more than 11 seconds.
But the final day was full of twists and turns as Ogier claimed victory.
A late pace note meant overnight leader Neuville arrived too fast into a left-hander and slid wide before riding up a bank and into a tree.
The impact destroyed his Hyundai’s rear aerodynamics package and cost him almost 25 seconds.
Unaware of his rival’s problem, Evans misjudged a right-hand bend on the same stage and spun, dropping 20 seconds as he tried to get his car pointing in the right direction.
It meant that Ogier, who had occupied third place since the opening stage on Friday morning, suddenly gained the lead with two stages remaining.
Unlike his rivals, Ogier made no such errors and kept Toyota teammate Evans at bay, celebrating his second Croatia Rally triumph along with a milestone 100th WRC podium.
“It’s been a tough weekend,” admitted Ogier.
“We knew our start position was not ideal but we kept the pressure on, but nice to get the win for the team.”
Toyota’s 1-2 extended their lead in the manufacturers’ championship to seven points over chief rivals Hyundai.
Neuville nursed his battered car to the end in third to retain his drivers’ series lead, heading Evans by six points.
The WRC turns to gravel next month for Vodafone Rally de Portugal from May 9-12.
■ Welsh driver Jann Mardenborough – the son of former Swansea City striker Steve – makes a return to British motor racing this weekend with Team RJN at the Silverstone 500.
He partners Chris Buncombe at the Grand Prix circuit in the team’s second Mclaren 720S GT3 Evo.
Mardenborough said: “I’m returning for a one-off.
“Since my time away racing abroad in Japan and other places, I’m pleased to see the championship expand and grow with more top drivers and teams in both GT3 and GT4 and I’m looking forward to battling against them paired with Chris and RJN.
“Our intent is to win, preparing on and off track to direct ourselves to that vision.
“RJN and Bob Neville helped mould me into the driver and – more importantly – the person I am today.
“I find it very fitting to be working with them again. We will give our all.”
Mardenborough’s appearance is part of a potential programme for 2024 in preparation for his return to full-time racing next year.