World Rally Championship preview 2018: the top contenders

After two seasons in the works M-Sport team, Elfyn Evans was sidelined for 2016, having to make do with winning the British title. The Dolgellau driver returned to the WRC in a third M-Sport Fiesta running on DMack tyres (as opposed to the more common Michelins) last year, claiming an emphatic victory at his home event, Wales Rally GB. With experience and the confidence of having broken his WRC duck, Evans can surely thrive this year.

Monte mix-up:

The season-opening Monte Carlo Rally, which starts tomorrow (Thursday), is the most famous event on the calendar, and its organisers like to mix things up a bit. That’s what they’ve done this year, withhalf the special stage routes being new. That could make a traditionally chaotic event – thanks to road conditions that can switch from dry to wet to ice-clad within the space of a few corners – even wilder.

Meeke’s career lifeline:

Northern Ireland’s Kris Meeke led Citroën’s charge last year, but a series of crashes, and struggles to tame the C3 WRC, put his future in doubt. His raw pace has never been questioned, though, and two wins in 2017 earned him another chance. He’s likely to be put on a short leash by Citroën’s top brass, although Sébastien Loeb’s return to the team will be a great benchmark and offer insight into whether Meeke’s 2017 struggles were to do with his driving or his car.

The Super Seb showdown:

Ogier might have won five titles, but he’s still only the second-most- successful rallying Sébastien – and the man he trails is coming back this year. Nine-time champion Loeb will return to the championship for the first time since a one-off outing in 2013, tackling three events – Mexico, France and Spain – in a works Citroën C3 WRC. The 43-year-old might be rusty, but expect him to be challenging for wins.

Let’s talk Turkey:

Rally Poland has lost its place in the 13-round WRC calendar due to safety concerns. Replacing it is Rally Turkey, back on the schedule for the first time since 2010, albeit based in the seaside city of Marmaris rather than Istanbul. While both are gravel events, they vary greatly: Poland’s tracks were fast and smooth – similar to Rally Finland – but Turkey’s are likely to be rough and tough. That will favour drivers who know when to push and when to play it safe.