Seven-time Rally Sweden winner Stig Blomqvist wants Elfyn Evans to win this week’s World Rally Championship event to finish the job his father Gwyndaf Evans started.
Blomqvist was talking exclusively to DirtFish and in the full video interview – click on the picture above to watch – he reflects on his great career as well as the 2020 rally.
He said he had been impressed with Toyota driver and Evans’ speed as he led the rally through the opening day.
Swedish rally legend Blomqvist was team-mate to Evans Sr at Ford in the late 1980s.
Asked who he would like to see topping the Torsby podium on Sunday afternoon this year, Blomqvist replied: “It would be nice if Evans can do it, especially for his dad.
“His dad was so close to getting good with Ford, but he never really made it – now he can get it back with the son I hope.
“He (Evans Sr) was around when I was driving for Ford [in the Sierra] and he did the British Championship and a bit more for them, but Ford never really did him any good – he got some rallies, but never any proper program.”
Gwyndaf Evans made his world championship debut in a Group A four-wheel drive rally car on the 1990 Swedish Rally.
Despite a lack of experience of the conditions on his debut at the series’ winter rally, Evans Sr was running inside the top 10 in his Q8 Team Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4×4 when he rolled. He continued but retired later from accident damage.
His son’s current boss Tommi Mäkinen was also competing in Sweden in 1991, driving a similar Sierra in the Group N category. The Finn finished second in class.
Snow is possible overnight in Sweden, but Blomqvist said the effect this would have on Saturday’s competitive order depended entirely on how heavy the snowfall was.
“If something comes it will not be much anyway,” he said.
“If a bit of snow comes, it depends where you are on the road how much it will help you.”
Evans starts Rally Sweden’s day two with an 8.5s lead over Hyundai driver Ott Tänak.
