WITH just three days to prepare Elfyn Evans’ EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC for this week’s Rally Italia Sardegna, the M-Sport Ford World Rally Team have had to deliver some serious speed at home in the workshop, as well as needing to do the same out on the stages.

The fleet of Fiestas arrived back at M-Sport’s Dovenby Hall headquarters early last Wednesday and the technicians worked more than one late evening - with meticulous attention to detail - to get everything prepared for the rally on time.

Loading the cars into the transporters last Friday, the precious cargo made its way to Genoa in Northwest Italy. From there, it was an overnight ferry to Porto Torres followed by a short one-hour drive to Alghero where the Fiestas were unloaded in the harbour-side service park.

The team may not have conducted a pre-event test ahead of this rally, but both Elfyn Evans and M-Sport teammate Teemu Suninen had the pace to challenge for the top results at the previous outing in Portugal. Similarly hot and dusty conditions are expected this week, and the team are confident of being able to deliver another strong performance.

Having first taken to the wheel of a world rally car at Rally Italia Sardegna in 2013, Gwynedd ace Evans will always have fond memories of the island.

The Welshman secured his best result of fourth at the event in 2015, and he will be looking to do at least one better this year as he and co-driver Scott Martin challenge for another top-three rally finish.

“I think every driver remembers the first time they got behind the wheel of a world rally car, and Sardinia will always be a special place for me,” Evans said.

“It’s not an easy rally, but once you’ve been there a few times you really learn to enjoy the challenging nature of the stages.

“We haven’t done a pre-event test for this event, but I did join the guys at Red Bull UK for ‘Red Bull Cut It’ – which is basically a lawnmower race! I’m not sure how much it will help me out on the stages this week, but it was a lot of fun and it was a good chance to catch up with all of the other Red Bull UK athletes.

“Looking ahead to Sardinia, our aim has to be the podium. It won’t be easy as the competition is extremely strong at the moment, but if we can deliver a clever rally I see no reason why we can’t be up there challenging for the top results.”

The beautiful island of Sardinia is prime rally territory - its rugged mountains, forests and unspoilt rural terrain providing some of the FIA World Rally Championship’s most challenging speed tests.

Evans is fully aware that the fast, narrow stages leave no room for error. Lined with car-breaking obstacles, they demand precision driving and note calling from the drivers and co-drivers - who must maintain focus whilst combatting some of the highest temperatures of the year.

Team Principal, Richard Millener, said: “The Fiesta has a good track record in Sardinia. We won here with Ott (Tänak)in 2017, and Seb (Ogier) missed out on the victory by just 0.7 seconds last year.

“Elfyn and Teemu also have good experience here. They both know what it takes to deliver a strong performance and we’ll be pushing for another positive result.

“We had the pace to be on the podium in Portugal, so that has to be our goal again. It would be nice to go into the summer break with some more silverware.”