DOLGELLAU’S Elfyn Evans faces one of the most important weekends of his World Rally Championship campaign as he looks to extend his lead at the top of the standings on the lightning-fast roads of Rally Estonia.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver arrives at round nine of the season holding an 11-point advantage in the championship and knows a strong performance in Estonia could provide a significant boost in his bid to claim a first world title.

After enduring the punishing heat, rocks and tyre-destroying conditions of the Acropolis Rally Greece, Evans and co-driver Scott Martin now head into a completely different environment.

Rally Estonia, which takes place from July 17-19, is renowned as one of the fastest events on the WRC calendar, featuring flowing gravel roads, huge jumps and blind crests that demand absolute confidence and commitment.

For Evans, the switch in terrain offers an opportunity to rediscover the form that has kept him at the head of the championship for much of the season.

The Welshman has already been laying the groundwork for the challenge ahead, contesting a national event in Estonia last week to familiarise himself once again with the extreme speeds and road characteristics that define the Baltic rally.

While Greece proved a frustrating outing at times, Evans believes the next two rallies – Estonia and Finland – should provide a fresh test and a chance to regain momentum as the title fight enters a decisive stage.

"We can look forward to something completely different on much faster roads in Estonia and Finland," said Evans.

"It's important to find a good feeling and prepare the car as well as possible for these events, and it was helpful to drive a national rally in Estonia last week to get used to the highest speeds once again.

"If it's very dry in Estonia then there can still be some cleaning for us to do, but we just need to focus on doing our best whatever conditions we face."

As championship leader, Evans is once again likely to be first on the road for Friday's stages. On loose gravel rallies, that can be a significant disadvantage as the opening driver sweeps away loose stones and dirt, often leaving more grip for rivals further down the running order.

However, the smoother and faster roads in Estonia are generally less punishing for the road opener than some other gravel events, and Toyota believes the conditions could work more in Evans' favour than they did in Greece.

The Japanese manufacturer heads to Estonia in a commanding position, with its drivers occupying the top five places in the championship standings. Evans leads team-mate Takamoto Katsuta, while eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, rising stars Sami Pajari and Oliver Solberg also form part of a formidable line-up.

Toyota deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen expects Evans to be a major contender this weekend.

"As a team we always look forward to this part of the season and these very fast rallies in Estonia and Finland," said Kankkunen.

"The Acropolis Rally was all about managing the tyres, but Estonia should be more of a flat-out fight.

"For Elfyn, it should be easier to compete from first on the road."

With Rally Finland following just two weeks later, the next fortnight could prove pivotal in deciding where the championship trophy ends up.