DOLGELLAU’S Elfyn Evans is looking forward a different challenge on asphalt as the FIA World Rally Championship enters an exciting new phase when the roads of Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria host the Central European Rally on 16-19 October.

Following seven successive events on gravel, drivers now face two consecutive rallies on asphalt roads which could be crucial in this season’s championship fight, with the Central European Rally to be followed three weeks later by Rally Japan.

With three rounds remaining, Toyota Gazoo Racing has a lead of 125 points in the manufacturers’ championship, and a first chance to seal a fifth successive crown at Central European Rally if it can finish the weekend with a lead of 120 points or more.

Three of the team’s drivers head a thrilling contest for the drivers’ title, with Sébastien Ogier now on top of the standings following back-to-back victories on South American gravel in Paraguay and Chile.

Elfyn Evans was a strong second in both those events and is just two points behind together with co-driver Scott Martin, who is poised to make a landmark 200th WRC start in Central Europe.

Kalle Rovanperä remains firmly in the fight, 21 points from the lead, as he returns to a surface on which he took a dominant win at Rally Islas Canarias in April.

Evans said: “It was good to get back on the podium in both South American rallies after a long run of gravel rounds, and now we’re looking forward to being back on asphalt and to a different challenge in these next events.

“There’s an element of the unknown with conditions that will be very different to the last asphalt event in the Canaries.”

The 36-year-old added: “The Central European Rally covers quite a large area so there’s a few variations in surface and character, and the grip levels can be quite mixed.

“There’s sections that are out in the open and others that are more narrow under the trees.

“There can also be muddy places, especially if there’s rain in the build-up to the rally, but we have to wait and see how the stages look this year and give it our best.”

The German city of Passau once more hosts the service park for the Central European Rally, which was first held in 2023 as the first WRC round to feature stages in three different countries.

The character of the stages varies from one region to another and the weather – in the middle of the European autumn – can also be changeable.

This year the rally starts from Passau with two passes of a stage around Bad Griesbach on Thursday afternoon. Friday’s route features one stage in each of the three countries, each to be run twice.

Saturday then has one German stage and two on Czech roads, each run twice.

Sunday’s final day features two passes of Beyond Borders (spanning Germany and Austria) and the all-Austrian Mühltal test, the second pass of which serves as the rally-ending Power Stage.

Team principal Jari-Matti Latvala said: “We will need a good result if we want to clinch the manufacturers’ championship at the first opportunity, but at the same time, our drivers don’t need to feel pressure from that side and can focus on their fight for the drivers’ title, which is very tight.”