Elfyn Evans insists he can deal with the World Rally Championship pressure as he looks to make a winning start in Monte Carlo.
The Dolgellau-born ace will spearhead M-Sport’s challenge this year when the season gets underway in the French Alps. from January 24-27.
The 14-round season is a crucial one for Evans who has been promoted to No 1 driver by the Cumbria-based outfit with six-time champ Sebastien Ogier moving to Citroen.
“There’s always pressure but this is a great opportunity and I’m really excited to get going and to get back on track,” said Evans who will have a new co-driver in Scott Martin who has replaced Dan Barritt.
“Hopefully we can have a lot of success together. We are starting 2019 with a fresh page and a determination to get on with it. We have to aim high, do the best possible job and to fight for rally wins. Winning is definitely the aim.”
Evans bagged his historic maiden win at the tail end of the 2017 campaign on home soil in Wales.
But his hopes of building on that success last season were frustrated a combination of accidents, punctures, mechanical failures and team orders to help Ogier.
It left Evans with just two podium results to celebrate and a disappointing seventh position in the 2018 drivers’ standings.
Post-season, Evans’ future was in the balance as M-Sport battled to ensure they had enough funds for the campaign.
Now he is determined to fight at the front in his Fiesta RS WRC which has proved such a winner for the Frenchman Ogier in the past couple of seasons.
“There were various reasons why last year didn’t go as we hoped,” added Evans. “The first half of the season was very, very difficult but the second half of the year was much, much stronger and we showed good speed.
“Now I’m looking to carry that forward, displaying that speed more consistently and being competitive every weekend.
Tickets for this year’s Wales Rally GB will go on sale in the spring when the 2019 competitive route is announced.
2019 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
24-27 January Monte Carlo Rally
14-17 February Rally Sweden
07-10 March Rally Guanajuato Mexico
28-31 March Tour de Corse (France)
25-28 April YPF Rally Argentina
09-12 May COPEC Rally Chile
30 May-02 June Vodafone Rally de Portugal
13-16 June Rally Italia Sardinia
01-04 August Neste Rally Finland
22-25 August ADAC Rally Germany
12-15 September Rally Turkey
03-06 October Wales Rally GB
24-27 October Rally Spain
14-17 November Kennards Hire Rally Australia