BARROWFORD’S Daniel Barritt and driver Elfyn Evans opened the World Rally Championship with a seventh place finish in the Rallye Monte Carlo – but an accident thwarted their hopes of faring even better.

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Evans and co-driver Barritt are competing together in the championship for a second season and were on course to finish a highly impressive fifth in the opening rally of the year in Monaco and France, with even fourth place not beyond them.

Fourth was their highest finish in their first season together but they suffered a setback on stage 11 at the weekend when their Ford Fiesta RS WRC clipped a wall, causing damage to the rear suspension.

The duo resourcefully fashioned a temporary repair, however, allowing them to avoid retirement and carry on.

The event had a ceremonial start on the famous streets of Monte Carlo before climbing into the snow of the French mountains.

Evans and Barritt had set a target this year of increasing their speed in all 13 rounds of the championship and they achieved that, with only their accident causing them to fall short of last year’s sixth-placed finish at the rally.

They posted the third fastest time in stage three as well as a number of fastest split times.

Evans said: “There’s a feeling of what could have been at the end of this event.

“The potential was definitely there to do more, but there were a couple of silly mistakes on my part – one of which was extremely costly.

“We had some very good tyre choices throughout the weekend, but then again some weren’t quite so good so there are some things to learn.

“Overall the speed has been good and that is definitely a big positive that we can take from the weekend. We can also see where we went wrong, which is important for the future.

“I’m looking forward to coming back and having another go at the event next year.”

Evans’ M-Sport team-mate, the Estonian Ott Tanak, finished 18th after slipped down a steep embankment on stage 10.

M-Sport team boss Malcolm Wilson said: “The result is not what it could have been, but I have been extremely impressed by both Elfyn and Ott.

“They have the speed, but they also have the will and the determination to succeed.”

“They’ll never give up and that’s what will see them go far.

“Needless to say that the whole team is extremely encouraged by the huge potential they both possess.”

Reigning world champion Sebastien Ogier claimed victory.