Elfyn Evans (above) heads into WRC Rally Sweden’s final day on Sunday with a first victory of the season hanging in the balance after his lead over Toyota Gazoo Racing teammate Takamoto Katsuta was cut to just 3.0s, with Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville also looming large in third.
Evans, runner-up on the FIA World Rally Championship’s season-opening Monte Carlo Rally last month, started Saturday’s penultimate leg with a narrow 0.6s advantage over Katsuta’s identical Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. The pair were almost inseparable through the morning’s three high-speed, hard-ice stages outside of Umea, but a commanding start to the afternoon’s repeated loop saw the Welshman extend his lead to 8.6s – helped in part by a mistake from Katsuta, who overshot a junction on the first stage after the midday service halt.
But just when it seemed Evans had seized control, the momentum shifted again. Katsuta fought back on the afternoon’s second stage, 8.84-mile Sarsjoliden 2, to cut the gap to 6.0s before Evans briefly stalled his car in the day’s closing stage – reducing his end-of day lead even further, to just 3.0s.
Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta is a five-time WRC podium finisher, but never a winner. Could that change on Sunday? Toyota GAZOO Racing photo
“Coming into the junction, I lost the rear and it just stalled under braking,” Evans explained. “It’s not ideal.”
Katsuta, a five-time WRC podium finisher, is still chasing his maiden top-tier victory, but remained measured in his approach for Sunday’s shootout of just three stages. “I want to finish the rally, that’s it,” said the Japanese driver. “Let’s see. I will speak with my bosses in the team and let’s see what they say. For sure, I am very hungry for many things, but I have seen myself many times being too hungry when going for places and then something happens.”
Neuville, who started the day in fifth, made huge strides to haul himself into the lead fight in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1. The reigning WRC champ passed teammate Ott Tanak on the overall leaderboard when the Estonian was hampered by a coolant leak. He ended the day 6.5s clear of Tanak and only 6.3s behind leader Evans.
“We have to prepare well tonight and give it a try tomorrow,” said Neuville. “I am happy with today, to be honest. We did what we should do – had a good rhythm and managed the risk. Hopefully we have the same feeling tomorrow.”
Hyundai’s reigning WRC champ, Thierry Neuville, is only 6.3s off the lead in third and is looking to push on Sunday’s final leg. Red Bull Content Pool
Adrien Fourmaux’s podium challenge came undone after a series of misfortunes. The Frenchman, who had been firmly in the mix in his Hyundai on Friday, lost time after stopping immediately after the start of the morning’s second stage to fasten his helmet strap. He rebounded from the oversight with a stage win on the following test, only to slide off on the afternoon opener and bury his car in a snow bank, ending his day prematurely.
Kalle Rovanpera capitalized on the drama, climbing to fifth in his Toyota and enjoying a much stronger leg after a subdued Friday. The two-time champ, who’s returned for a full-time WRC program this year after going part-time in 2024, closed to within 10.1s of Tanak heading into Sunday, with Martins Sesks sixth in the best of the M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 contingent.
Sesks survived a late scare when he spun in the fading light of Sarsjoliden 2, but managed to keep Toyota young gun Sami Pajari 12.2s behind. Further back, M-Sport Ford drivers Josh McErlean and Gregoire Munster kept it steady to hold eighth and ninth overall.
In WRC2, the second tier of international rallying, local hero Oliver Solberg continued his Friday dominance into Saturday’s seven stages.
The PrintSport Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 driver had ended the first leg with a 23.8s class lead over Roope Korhonen’s similar Toyota, but extended that to 39.0s with a Saturday run that included four fastest times.
Oliver Solberg extended his WRC2 lead, the Swede taking fastest time on four of Saturday’s seven stages in his GR Yaris Rally2. Red Bull Content Pool
Sunday’s three stages add up to just 42.74 competitive miles. But with the battle for the overall win so tight, that could be plenty long enough for another twist or two before it’s settled and the cars return to Umea for the podium ceremonies.
WRC Rally Sweden, positions after Saturday/Leg Two, SS15
1 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 2h00m4.2s
2 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +3.0s
3 Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +6.3s
4 Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +12.8s
5 Kalle Rovanpera/Jonne Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +22.9s
6 Martins Sesks/Renars Francis (Ford Puma Rally1) +1m31.4s
7 Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +1m43.6s
8 Joshua McErlean/Eoin Treacy ((Ford Puma Rally1) +2m05.8s
9 Gregoire Munster/Louis Louka (Ford Puma Rally1) +2m45.9s
10 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 – WRC2 leader) +6m09.6s
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