In an intriguing WRC move Elfyn Evans has been tipped as Ott Tanak's Toyota WRC replacement after he was known to have visited the team's Finnish HQ last week.
Tanak shocked the WRC paddock when news of his switch to Hyundai broke, which sees him leave the Toyota Gazoo Racing team with which he sealed the 2019 Drivers' Championship – his maiden WRC title.
Speculation about who will drive for Toyota next year reached fever pitch last week, when current Hyundai driver Thierry Neuville was also reported to have visited Jyvaskyla, though Hyundai sources have since denied this.
Citroen's six-time WRC champion Sebastien Ogier has also been linked to replacing Tanak although his Citroen contract complicates any potential deal.
Neither current M-Sport driver Evans or Toyota boss team principal Tommi Makinen would comment over Evans’s visit. However, it is understood that Makinen rates Evans highly, and has been impressed with his pace and consistency this year.
Evans spent a day with the Toyota team last week, looking at the Puuppola premises and talking to the squad's senior management.
A move from M-Sport would take Evans into uncharted waters – all his 86 WRC starts have been in Ford Fiestas. He took his maiden British Championship with M-Sport in 2016 and also his first WRC win in Wales the following year.
M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson said it would be “crazy” to let either Evans or Teemu Suninen leave after the investment he had put into them.
M-Sport WRC team principal Richard Millener said he would do everything he could to keep Evans, adding: "We've worked with Elfyn for a very long time. Malcolm has invested a huge amount in him and we'd be very reluctant to see him leave. We're ready to fight as best as we can."I think it's fairly common knowledge that we perhaps don't have the same resources as some of the other teams, but we'll do what is possible."
However, he admitted the realities of M-Sport's position complicated negotiations, adding: "As much as we would love to keep Elfyn and win more rallies with him next year, we have to be very aware that we're a private team in a competitive commercial environment."
Toyota's only retained driver for next season is Skoda WRC 2 champion Kalle Rovanpera. Kris Meeke and Jari-Matti Latvala are discussing contract extensions for next year, but it is understood that neither driver has yet confirmed an agreement.
