Elfyn Evans is playing down his favourites’ tag for the Wales Rally GB this weekend.

The Dolgellau-born driver could become the first home winner for 17 years.

Evans showed why Sebastien Ogier – winner for the past four years – was tipping him to win after setting the quickest time on Thursday’s shakedown stage.

The M-Sport driver went more than a second a mile faster than anybody through the Clocaenog test, posting a time of 1m58.1s for the 2.06-mile stage, 2.3s faster than second quickest man, Hyundai driver Dani Sordo.

The 28-year-old’s Ford Fiesta WRC is fitted with a DMACK tyre specifically made and tailored to the cooler and wetter conditions in Wales.

But Evans, whose career best WRC finish is second, said: “I’m trying not to feel the pressure.

“It’s a home rally and I want to enjoy it as much as I can and do the best I can.

“But I’m confident I can fight at the front and I’m here to fight for the win but I’m not taking anything for granted.

“This is a long and difficult rally.

“If the conditions stay like they were in shakedown then the tyre is working exceptionally well, but the weather is drying and that will definitely help the others.

“Shakedown isn’t completely representative for how much grip there will be.

But Ogier, who was 3.4s down on Evans in seventh place, said: “We all know he has the best cards in the hand to win the rally.

“But even if you have those cards you still have to do it and in these conditions that’s not easy.

“Already this morning we have seen it’s quite a performance difference with these tyres.

“Elfyn struggled in Spain where the tyre was completely wrong and they focused completely on this event, so they come here with the right tyre.

“We have to do our best, but Elfyn has the right package.

“At least he’s not a threat for the championship, but if I don’t win the rally, I would not be unhappy if he did.”

The rally starts Thursday evening with a stage at the Tir Prince Raceway, normally used for trotting, before hitting the North Wales forests on Friday.