Elfyn Evans will enter Rally Sweden’s remaining day with victory hanging within the stability – his lead over Toyota GAZOO Racing team-mate Takamoto Katsuta minimize to only 3.0sec with Thierry Neuville additionally looming giant in third.
Evans, runner-up on the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo, began in the present day’s penultimate leg with a slender 0.6sec benefit over Katsuta’s similar GR Yaris Rally1. The pair had been virtually inseparable via the morning’s high-speed ice-laden phases close to Umeå, however a commanding begin to the afternoon loop noticed the Welshman prolong his result in 8.6sec – helped partially by a mistake from Katsuta, who overshot a junction on SS12.
Simply when it appeared Evans had seized management, the momentum shifted once more. Katsuta fought again on SS14, reducing the hole to six.0sec earlier than Evans stalled his automotive within the day’s closing stage – lowering his lead even additional to only 3.0sec.
Katsuta, a five-time podium finisher, continues to be chasing his maiden WRC victory however remained measured in his method. Neuville, who began the day in fifth, made big strides to haul himself into the lead battle. The reigning world champion overtook Hyundai team-mate Ott Tänak, who was hampered by a coolant leak, and ended the day 6.5sec away from the Estonian whereas simply 6.3sec behind Evans.
Adrien Fourmaux’s podium problem got here undone after a sequence of misfortunes. The Frenchman, who had been firmly within the combine on Friday, misplaced time after stopping instantly after the beginning of SS10 to lock his helmet strap. He rebounded from the oversight with a stage win on SS11, solely to slip off on SS12 and bury his Hyundai in a snowbank – ending his day prematurely.
Kalle Rovanperä capitalised on the chaos, climbing to fifth in his Toyota and having fun with a a lot stronger leg after a subdued Friday. The 2-time world champion closed to inside 10.1sec of Tänak heading into Sunday’s three-stage showdown, with Mārtiņš Sesks sixth in his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1.
Sesks survived a late scare when he spun within the fading gentle of SS13 however managed to maintain Toyota younger gun Sami Pajari 12.2sec behind. Additional again, Ford drivers Josh McErlean and Grégoire Munster occupied eighth and ninth, whereas WRC2 chief Oliver Solberg rounded out the highest 10.
Unstoppable Solberg closes in on WRC2 hat-trick
Dwelling hero Oliver Solberg remained untouchable in WRC2 at Rally Sweden on Saturday, extending his lead as he hunts down a hat-trick of victories on his dwelling spherical of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Having reigned supreme in Umeå in each 2023 and 2024 aboard a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, Solberg’s swap to a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 has achieved little to sluggish his cost. Regardless of early struggles adjusting to the automotive on Friday afternoon, the 23-year-old hit his stride on Saturday, delivering a masterclass with 4 stage wins from seven to stretch his benefit to 39.0sec.
Whereas Finland’s Roope Korhonen held agency in second, a fierce battle raged behind him for the ultimate podium spot, with simply 9.6sec separating Georg Linnamäe, Mikko Heikkilä, and Lauri Joona in the beginning of the day.
Linnamäe got here beneath quick strain as Heikkilä slashed 2.3sec from his benefit on the opening check. Compelled to reply, the Estonian pushed past the restrict — and paid the worth. A expensive off right into a snowbank on the very subsequent stage left him stranded, and though spectators helped him again on the highway, he misplaced over 5 minutes, dashing his hopes of a repeat podium end.
With Linnamäe out of rivalry, Heikkilä seized the chance, transferring into third and setting a string of top-three stage instances to drag 13.8sec away from Joona. His cost continued into the afternoon, slashing the hole to Korhonen forward to only 17.7sec whereas leaving Joona trailing by 25.7sec.
Solberg, in the meantime, stored the throttle on, bookending the loop with two extra stage wins. Linnamäe salvaged some pleasure by topping SS13, whereas Isak Reiersen rounded out the highest 5.
Past the general battle, Korhonen’s second place additionally noticed him main the WRC2 Challenger class, whereas Spain’s Alexander Villanueva dominated the WRC Masters Cup with a commanding 1min 30sec benefit.
Gill seizes Junior WRC lead after Johansson’s heartbreak
Taylor Gill is on the verge of victory on the FIA Junior WRC’s opening spherical after native favorite Mille Johansson’s hopes of back-to-back Rally Sweden wins had been shattered on Saturday’s penultimate leg.
Johansson, final yr’s occasion winner, had been in dominant kind on dwelling soil, extending his in a single day benefit to almost a minute with a commanding run via Sarsjöliden. However his hopes pale on the primary run via Kolksele when the Swede strayed off-line and buried his M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 in a deep snowbank, shedding virtually three minutes.
FIA Rally Star Gill took full benefit. The Australian surged into the lead and delivered a faultless drive throughout the next 4 ice-laden pace assessments to finish the day in Umeå with a commanding 1min 11.4sec cushion.
Regardless of his expensive error, Johansson mounted a fierce fightback. Initially dropping as little as fourth, the 19-year-old clawed again misplaced floor with a string of fast stage instances to assert second, powering previous each Eamonn Kelly and Ali Türkkan within the course of.
Kelly, representing the Motorsport Eire Rally Academy, remained in podium rivalry, however with Türkkan respiration down his neck simply 1.2sec behind, the battle for third remained vast open.
Belgian newcomer Thomas Martens continued to impress on his Junior WRC debut, showcasing robust pace to maneuver inside 5.4sec of fifth-placed Kerem Kazaz within the morning. Kazaz, who was slowed by a broken tyre on SS10, hit again within the second half of the day – re-extending the hole again to 12.1sec.
Max Good had been sitting sixth however fell behind Martens after going off the highway on SS10. The South African would later retire for the day with water pump failure following one other journey into the surroundings.
WRC Younger Driver Crew contenders Claire Schönborn and Lyssia Baudet occupied seventh and eighth, whereas Tristan Charpentier – recovering from a Friday setback – positioned ninth. The Frenchman confirmed flashes of brilliance on his debut and set the quickest time for SS11.
Diego Domínguez and Joosep Nõgene each rejoined beneath restart guidelines, with Nõgene ending the day on a excessive by posting the third-fastest time on SS15.
Simply three phases and virtually 70km of aggressive motion stay on Sunday earlier than Rally Sweden crowns its winner.
