David Evans and Colin Clark debate Elfyn Evans' future title prospects on SPIN, The Rally Pod
Photography by Toyota
“I am not designed to come second or third. I am designed to win.”
Ayrton Senna spoke for every motorsport competitor, ever, when he delivered these words many years ago.
Elfyn Evans will concur.
The list is getting long: 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025 list Evans as the runner-up in the World Rally Championship. No driver has finished second more times without becoming world champion.
Debating last weekend’s WRC finale in Saudi Arabia on SPIN, The Rally Pod, David Evans asks does Evans have the capacity to be world champion?
“I really think he does,” said Colin Clark. “Drivers improve – and we see that with Ogier, I think Ogier’s still improving. I think he’s as good now as he’s probably ever been. The consistency this year – he’s never been off the podium apart from CER.
“Elfyn has to look to Ogier and think ‘I’ve still got a few years until I’m at his age, I can still improve’. It won’t take an awful lot – maybe a change in approach at certain points, maybe a change in mental approach, I don’t know but Elfyn Evans next year has a real chance of being world champion.”
David pointed out that the difference between being world champion and not is miniscule.
“That ability crystalizes the difference between a world champion and someone who’s close to being a world champion,” he said. “You said it earlier: at this elite level of our sport, they’ve all got the switch. It’s about being able to push it, and that’s where Ogier, Loeb… they’ve got that.
“For a number of years Neuville’s finger hovered above the switch but he never actually pushed it. He did last year. Elfyn needs to, and he said it himself, be a bit more risk-on and just trust himself.”
Does Evans need to change his approach to finally earn himself that coveted title?
“I might argue that exactly this approach next year for Elfyn will be enough,” said Clark. “If Ogier had done one fewer round, or done a proper part-time program, Elfyn would’ve been world champion this year.
“Much as I know Thierry Neuville is an absolute top driver, I don’t think Hyundai is going to give him the chance to take the title. We then start to look to Toyota and alright Solberg will potentially be a challenger, but can he really be a challenger in his first year in Rally1? I suppose he can be, but the favorite for me has to be Elfyn Evans and I don’t think he has to do anything different.”
Listen to the entire episode of SPIN, The Rally Pod now.
Tags: Elfyn Evans, SPIN The Rally Pod, WRC, WRC 2025
Publish Date December 3, 2025 DirtFish
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