Gus Greensmith has got the nod to replace the injured Elfyn Evans at Rally Germany in the M-Sport Ford squad.
It means that Hayden Paddon will have to bide his time a little longer if he's to make a WRC return in 2019.
Evans continues to recover from the back injury sustained earlier this month.
The Welshman had to forgo last weekend’s Neste Rally Finland and has been advised not to contest the forthcoming ADAC Rallye Deutschland – ensuring he makes a complete recovery and is back to full strength upon his return to the championship.
Gus Greensmith and Elliott Edmondson will stand in for Evans and co-driver Scott Martin. The German fixture will mark the young Brits’ third outing with the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC – and their first on asphalt.
Team Principal, Richard Millener, said:
“Elfyn is understandably frustrated not to be back in Germany – especially at such a critical point in the season.
"We all know what he would have been capable of here, but his health is the most important factor and we need to ensure he is fully recovered and 100 percent fit before getting back behind the wheel.
"He’s doing everything he can to aid the healing process, and we hope to have him back in time for Turkey.
“Gus made a positive debut with the top-specification Fiesta on gravel, and we were keen to give him the same opportunity on asphalt.
"We’ve been working with him for a number of years now, and I know that he and Elliott will make the most of the experience.
"They impressed everyone at Rallye Monte-Carlo earlier this year, and I think we could see some great progress from them on this surface.”
Gus Greensmith said:
“Like everyone else, I was hoping Elfyn would be back for this one. I feel really sorry for him, but it’s important that he makes a full recovery.
"I’m proud that Malcolm and Rich trust me to fill the seat again – it’s another huge opportunity and I want to say thank you to them and the team.
“There’s no denying that asphalt is my preferred surface, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what I can do with the Ford Fiesta WRC in Germany.
"It’s an event where I have a lot of experience and Elfyn has already proven how competitive the car is on this surface. I also won my last rally on tarmac, and think I’ll be able to get a lot closer to the top guys.
“I’ll share a three-day test with Teemu next week to get used to the car on Tarmac, and I plan to make the most of every kilometre.
"Malcolm and Rich were happy with the approach I took into Rally Finland, and I plan to do the same in Germany – building our speed with every stage.”
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