Elfyn Evans reaches for the sky in 2021 WRC title race

Could Elfyn Evans be about to join the rally Gods? The likeable Welshman is on the verge of becoming the first British winner of the World Rally Championship since Richard Burns exactly 20 years ago. The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver has put in a storming performance in the closing stages of the 2021 season meaning his title hopes will go down to the wire at the final rally in Monza on November 19-21.

Evans put himself into contention for the title after a brilliant win in Finland, where a stunning series of five back-to-back speed test wins on Friday night and Saturday morning propelled the Welshman from fifth to first. He survived intense pressure from Ott Tänak and Craig Breen to win by 14.1sec. The rally, always a highlight for fans, gained extra traction among a more general motor sport audience thanks to a series of clips showing drivers negotiating the forest stages at on-the-limit speeds not seen since the Group B heyday.

A hard-fought second place in Spain in October moved Evans to within 17 points of leader Sébastien Ogier.