Elfyn Evans has returned to the FIA World Rally Championship podium with an impressive second place finish on last weekend’s Vodafone Rally de Portugal, round six of this year’s WRC series.
It was the first time the 29-year-old Welshman and co-driver Daniel Barritt have stood on the podium since sensationally winning last October’s momentous Wales Rally GB to become the first Welsh driver in history to win a World Championship rally outright.
By his own admission though, Evans has struggled to build on that famous home success despite being promoted at the start of this year to the main M-Sport Ford World Rally Team alongside multiple World Champion Sébastien Ogier.
Punctures in Monte Carlo and Sweden followed by a major accident when challenging for top honours in Mexico have not got his 2018 campaign off to a convincing start.
However, a turn around then started with top six finishes in both France and Argentina plus, now, a strong second place on the tricky Portuguese gravel roads – the Welshman’s sixth career WRC podium and by far his best result of the 2018 season to date.
These more promising results now give the man from Dolgellau a major confidence boost in the run-up to the second half of the 2018 season and, of course, to his home Wales Rally GB event in early October.