Evans was quickest on today’s shakedown stage for round five of the World Rally Championship, although he was at pains to point out that much tougher tests await betweꦍen Friday and Sunday.

As the current points lead💮er, the 34-year-old will open the road on Friday and inevitably lose time in the process as he sweeps away the top layer of dust and dirt for the cars following 🗹behind.

However, Evans will be all too aware that a win is not entirely out of the question as his ꦛToyota Gazoo Racing t🌟eam-mate Kalle Rovanpera demonstrated last year.

Despite starting as the first car on the road, Rovanpera defeated his British team-mate to make it three victories on the 🦋bounce.

“We have to have a car that is comfortable being first on the road𒐪 with there being very low grip on the first pass and then, more than likely, very rough conditions on the second,” he explained.

“So, from tha🔯t perspective, it is always going to be an element of compromise I think tomorrow. However, the plan is to have a set-up that works everꦺywhere I guess and to get through safely.”

Eಞvans arrives in Portugal on the back of a morale-boosting win; that came on last month’s Croatia Rally which was overshadowed by the sudden death of Hyundai Motorsport’s Craig Breen just days prior.

It was his first visit to the top step of the podium in 18 months and his first on Tarmac in the World Rally Championship. Buoyed by the dis🍃play, he is aiming to carry that momentum into the Matoshinos-based meeting.

The initial signs look ✱promising as his best effort during shakedown shaded Hyundai Motorsport’s Esapekka Lappi by a tenth of a second. M-Sport Ford driver Ott Tanak was half-a-second off the paജce in third.

“Everything fe♏lt pretty OK to be honest𝐆,” said Evans. “We made a few minor changes throughout the day to prepare for the rest of the stages.

“All felt fine in the💎 shakedown but to be honest it was perhaps not the most representative of the rest of the rally. Tomorrow will be the true test.”