Elfyn Evans Insists he Will go Again for More After Finishing Runner-Up for Fifth Time

 The Welshman had travelled to the inaugural Rally Saudi Arabia with a three-point advantage over Toyota team-mate Sébastien Ogier, only to see the Frenchman clinch a record-equalling ninth title at the conclusion of a punishing year.

For Evans, it marked a fifth runners up spot in the championship, the latest in a string of title bids that have gone to the wire.

It was also a reminder of how unforgiving elite rallying can be.

The showdown in Jeddah unfolded on terrain that asked questions of every crew.

Soft, sandy stages in the desert were mixed with rugged mountain tracks capable of shredding tyres.

Scorching temperatures added another layer of difficulty.

The conditions created huge swings in pace and fortune, ensuring that the title contenders were rarely factors in the battle for the rally victory itself.

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Instead, the championship fight became a day-long chess match conducted through split times, tyre strategy and sheer resilience.

Evans’ prospects were dealt an early blow on Friday when he was forced to stop and fit a fresh tyre, costing him 1m40s.

Ogier, though, also suffered delays through a loss of tyre pressure.

This meant the two rivals remained grouped in the mid-pack and separated by just a single point as they approached the final morning.

The margin between them grew during the decisive Asfan stage, the longest test of the rally.

Ogier outpaced Evans by 7.9 seconds on that run.

He then gained places as other frontrunners hit trouble, moving into the overall podium positions.

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This placed crucial cars between himself and his rival.

Evans responded with everything he had on the final timed run, storming the Power Stage to earn the maximum nine bonus points with a winning margin of 7.2 seconds.

Yet Ogier managed to retain enough time on the day to secure the Super Saturday classification by 0.8 seconds.

That narrow advantage clinched the championship after one of the tightest battles of the modern era.

“It was a tough event obviously,” Evans reflected, having finished sixth overall.

“We’ve done what we can, that's it.”

“We're competitors at the end of the day, we always want better, we always want more.”

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His attitude typified the approach that defined his season: steady, controlled and relentlessly competitive.

Over 14 rounds he never finished outside the top six.

He collected two victories and six further podiums.

He set a benchmark for consistency across every surface on the calendar.

But it was not quite enough to fend off Ogier.

Ogier’s own campaign featured six wins, ten podiums and the kind of high-stakes composure that has long been his hallmark.

Ogier paid tribute to Evans moments after sealing his ninth crown, a figure that now places him level with Sébastien Loeb.

“What a fight it’s been with Elfyn and Scott.”

“A great champion needs great opponents, and they have been super strong and pushing us to the limits until the very last stage of the year.”

For the 41-year-old, the title also carried personal significance.

It is his first since stepping back from full-season competition.

It is also his first alongside co-driver Vincent Landais, who became a world champion for the first time.

Toyota hierarchy were quick to praise both of their leading drivers.

Team chairman Akio Toyoda commended Ogier’s brilliance but emphasised Evans’ pivotal role in the squad’s broader success.

“I’m not sure if it’s OK to say congratulations on another silver medal, but Elfyn’s consistent driving is truly valuable to the team.”

“And we will be counting on him to bring our GR YARIS safely to the finish line next year as well.”

“If he does so, I'm sure great things will happen.”

Deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen echoed the admiration, pointing to how relentlessly close the pair had been all year.

“Elfyn has done a fantastic job as well.”

“He didn’t make any mistakes, he had to be first car on the road for most of the season and he was so consistent, and it will be great to have him with us and trying to go for it again next year.”

“The season finale also served as a farewell of sorts for Kalle Rovanperä, who now pivots from rallying to single-seaters after his own outside title hopes were dashed by tyre damage on the opening day.”

Yet for Evans, the focus is firmly forward.

His measured response after the finish suggested neither despair nor resignation, but a familiar steeliness.

“It wasn’t to be for us, but Seb and Vincent have been amazing all year and deserve this title.”

“I’m a competitor and I always want more.”

And wanting more is precisely what now fuels him.

Evans will return next season still seeking the breakthrough that has repeatedly eluded him.

He enters 2026 closer, in form and consistency, than ever before.

With Toyota retaining its formidable line-up and the Welshman again expected to be a central figure in the championship scrap, the stage is already set for another compelling title chase.