Last year’s title runner-up joined up with the Toyota squad for a pre-event asphalt test on Friday ahead of the annual Monte Carlo opener from 25-28 January.
The outing was the Welshman’s first since suffering a rib injury caused in a bike accident that forced him to miss the end-of-season FIA prize giving in Baku and some test running in Finland last month while he completed his recovery.
Evans managed to successfully complete the test and is over the worst of the injury now, explaining that he felt fine in the car.
The test was conducted in tricky icy conditions which crews are expecting to be replicated when the rally gets underway later this month.
“The feeling is getting better all of the time,” said Evans.
“It was not the ideal off-season but nonetheless we are over the worst of it now and the feeling in the car is fine, so that is the important thing and that will be the last we need to hear about it now.
“We started with some pretty difficult conditions already with some black ice to start my test. It is never nice when it is like that, and it is very difficult to judge the speed, but that is what this rally is all about.
Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images
Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
“You have to adapt and try to read the conditions. It is good practice at least and of course the rally is back up north [in Gap], so we are more likely to see wintry conditions this year and it is going to be part of the challenge.”
Speaking after the test, Evans also offered his views on the WRC’s new points system that will see championship points being split over Saturday and Sunday.
The Toyota driver admitted he isn’t a “huge fan” of the change which he feels devalues the victory, a view shared by Hyundai’s Ott Tanak this week.
“The points system is quite a radical change,” he added.
“I can’t say I’m huge fan and I think it has devalued the value of an event win a little bit, in that somebody who finishes fourth in a rally can still have the opportunity to walk away with more points than the rally winner.
“There is the complication that it is complicated. It is difficult to work out who is doing what and if you come away from a rally weekend with only 18 points, it is not going to feel like such a rewarding rally victory, at the end of the day.
“Having said that we always have to go for every point, we always have to drive quickly…
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