HYUNDAI’S Thierry Neuville isn’t overly concerned about the points gap between himself and FIA World Rally Championship leader Elfyn Evans as we head into the fourth round at Rally Islas Canarias on 24-27 April.

The Belgian is 36 points adrift of the Dolgellau man who has enjoyed a stellar start to the championship with his Toyota Gazoo Racing Team.

Reigning world champion Neuville finished third last time out at Safari Rally Kenya to move up to second in the championship standings after three rounds.

But the 36-year-old Welshman has been a cut above with back-to-back victories in Sweden and Kenya after securing a runner-up finish at Monte Carlo in the opening round.

Neuville said: “It is very early days in the championship and honestly I’m not panicking.

“Elfyn has been very strong, but it is very rare to see such a strong run from somebody in three rallies in a row and we hope we can be stronger than him.

“We just need to avoid a bad result.”

Looking ahead to Rally Islas Canarias’ debut WRC fixture, Neuville says he is feeling positive behind the wheel of the upgraded Hyundai i20 N Rally1 following an outing at the FIA European Rally Championship’s opening round, Rally Sierra Morena.

Hyundai will revert to its i20 N Rally1 2025 ‘evo’ package in the Canary Islands, which it last ran in Sweden after electing to use a 2024 upgrade specification in Kenya last month.

He explained: “I think you need to have very good and precise pace notes [in the Canary Islands]. It will be mainly about car set up and car performance because everyone will be fast on Tarmac anyhow.

“There will be very similar stage conditions for everybody and the time gaps will be small, so the set-up will be the difference and maybe the tyre management.”