Elfyn Evans

Elyfn Evans is a Welsh rally driver who currently competes in the FIA World Rally Championship with Toyota Gazoo Racing. Previuosly, he spent seven seasons with M-Sport Ford.

He was the 2016 British Rally Champion, succeeding his father Gwyndaf who did the same in 1996. Elfyn made a WRC debut in 2007, scoring his maiden victory at 2017 Wales Rally GB. The second win came at Rally Sweden in February 2020.

Elfyn Evans

A son of the British rally ace Gwyndaf Evans

Elfyn Rhys Evans was born in December 1988 in Dolgellau, where his father has Ford dealership (Gwyndaf Evans Motors).  A dealership had been established by Elfyn's grandfather in Dinas Mawddwy.

Gwyndaf was a successful rally competitor who was the front-runner in the British Rally Championship for many years, taking the title in 1996 and finishing four times as a vice-champion. He also collected more than thirty WRC starts.

Elfyn Evans and his father Gwyndaf

Starting a career in 2006, debuting in WRC in 2007

Elfyn was eager to follow the footsteps of his father as soon as possible, so he started even before he was 18. His first rally car was a Nissan Micra which he was driving in many national events during 2006.

In 2007, Elfyn switched to Ford Fiesta ST, participating in the Fiesta Sport Trophy and making a WRC debut in November. He competed at Wales Rally GB, finishing 42nd overall and the first in N3 Class.

The young Elfyn was the British junior rally champion

British Junior Rally champion in 2010

Evans continued to race in a Ford Fiesta, gaining his first big success in 2010 when he became the British Junior Rally champion. In the same year, he won the Pirelli Star Driver shootout, winning a ride in a Pirelli-sponsored Subaru Impreza WRX STi N15 for the next season.

At the wheel of Impreza, Evans finished second in the 2011 British Rally Championship, behind David Bogie. In the same year, he returned to WRC, participating in three events (Finland, France, Wales) in a Ford Fiesta R2.

Evans was the 2012 WRC Acdemy winner

WRC Academy champion in 2012

In 2012, Evans spent a full season in the WRC Academy competition, what was today the Junior WRC. At the wheel of the #109 Ford Fiesta R2, he was the winner four times in six events, dominantly winning the championship title.

Over the year, he also participated in the British Rally Championship, finishing in the fourth place overall but also taking R2 and Fiesta Sport Trophy titles.

Elfyn Evans is driving Fords for almost his entire career

Debut in the World Rally Car in 2013

The award for winning the WRC Academy was the WRC programme with 4WD cars in 2013 WRC season. He was driving Ford Fiesta RRC and Ford Fiesta R5 for Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team in six events, scoring one victory in the WRC 2 category and finishing seventh in the final WRC 2 standings. His co-driver was Daniel Barritt.

In June 2013, Evans made a debut in the World Rally Car, driving the #6 Ford Fiesta RS WRC at Rally Italia Sardegna. Navigated by Giovanni Bernacchini, he finished in the sixth place, collecting his first WRC points.

Elfyn Evans scored his maiden WRC podium at 2015 Rally Argentina

Two full-seasons in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC

For the 2014 WRC season, Evans joined M-Sport World Rally Team as the second driver in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, next to Mikko Hirvonen. Evans and his navigator Daniel Barritt participated in all thirteen rounds in the #6 Ford Fiesta RS WRC, missing to score points four times and finishing 8th in the final standings. Elfyn's best result was the fourth place in Mexico and Germany.

For the 2015 WRC season, Evans and Barritt moved to the #5 Ford Fiesta RS WRC, with Ott Tanak as a new teammate in the #6 car. Evans scored his maiden WRC podium at Rally Argentina, finishing in the third place. He was on a podium one more time, finishing second at Tour de Corse. He ended a season seventh in the points.

Craig Parry and Elfyn Evans - 2016 British rally champions

British Rally champion in 2016

M-Sport World Rally Team opted for Mads Ostberg and Eric Camilli to drive for the team in the 2016 WRC season, dropping Evans to WRC 2 competition. Driving a Ford Fiesta R5 with Craig Parry as his navigator, Evans scored three wins in a WRC 2 Championship to finish third in the points.

He competed with the same car, sponsored by D-Mack, in the British Rally Championship, finally capturing the title which his father had been taken twenty years ago. Elfyn was a dominant driver in the BRC events, winning five times in seven attempts.

Celebrating maiden WRC victory

2017 – maiden WRC victory at Wales Rally GB

In 2017, Evans returned to main competition of the World Rally Championship, driving the #3 Ford Fiesta WRC alongside navigator Daniel Barritt. Evans was running a car for D-Mack World Rally Team but was eligible to score manufacturers' points for M-Sport World Rally Team, together with Sebastien Ogier and Ott Tanak.

Evans scored his third career's podium at Rally Argentina and then again at Rally Finland. He was second in both events. And then, in October, he finally scored his maiden WRC victory at his home event Wales Rally GB. At the end of the season, Evans finished fifth in the points.

Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt at 2017 Wales Rally GB

M-Sport's leading driver in 2019

Following Ott Tanak's departure at the end of 2017, Evans has been chosen by M-Sport as the second driver for the 2018 WRC season, together with five-time world champion Sebastien Ogier. In thirteen events, Evans was on a podium two times, in Portugal and Spain, to finish seventh in the championship points.

In 2019, Evans was a lead driver in M-Sport Ford after Sebastien Ogier left the team to join Citroen. He was on a podium two times, finishing fifth in the points.

Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin at 2020 Rally Sweden

Joining Toyota in 2020, victory in Sweden

For the 2020 WRC season, he joins Toyota Gazoo Racing. His teammates are Sebastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanpera. After season-opening third-place finish at Rallye Monte-Carlo, Elfyn has won Rally Sweden, becoming the first-ever British driver to do that.

Photos: Elfyn Evans, Gwyndaf Evans Motors,