DANIEL Barritt and Elfyn Evans equalled their career-best World Rally Championship finish with a fine fourth place in a dramatic Rally Mexico.

The Barrowford-based navigator and his Welsh driver are now fifth overall in the championship standings after an impressive drive in the M-Sport Fiesta RS.

Evans admitted he was pleased with the performance which he felt was an improvement on the opening two rounds.

MORE TOP STORIES:

He said: “I am extremely happy with my rally and to come away with a strong fourth place equalling my best result, was a big positive,” he said.

“From a driving satisfaction point of view I think the pace was much better in Sweden and Monte, but we knew we needed a good result here and that is what we did.

“The main objective was to have a solid, mistake-free run and I think we have done that. Other than hitting a few tyres on the super special we didn’t have a single mistake which is something of an achievement here.”

But their team-mate Ott Tanak had an incredible weekend in South America when his Fiesta RS went off the road at high-speed, rolling down a bank and into a reservoir.

Tanak and co-driver Raigo Molder were lucky to escape as the water submerged the car for more than 10 hours.

Recovering the stricken car, the M-Sport mechanics had the engine fired-up and running just two and a half hours into their service master-class.

Reflecting on the rally, team principal Malcolm Wilson said: “We have come to the end of the rally with what is an absolutely incredible result for the entire team “Elfyn and Dan secured a great fourth place.

“I think it’s fair to say that he was a little frustrated at times because he clearly had a lot more to give, but he kept his head.”