Wales’ Elfyn Evans fended off a determined charge from Toyota GAZOO Racing team-mate Takamoto Katsuta on Sunday to secure victory at Rally Sweden and move into the FIA World Rally Championship lead.
“It’s been a very good weekend, but I made life very difficult for myself on that first stage this morning,” Evans (above right) smiled. “At least it focused the mind. We had a good run over the last couple of stages and obviously we’re very happy with the end result.
“Championship-wise, it’s been a very good start. Obviously, it’s very early days but I don’t think you could wish for much better than this.”
After four days of intense action on Umeå’s frozen stages, Evans delivered when it mattered most – shutting the door on Katsuta in a dramatic final-day shootout to claim his 10th career WRC win by 3.8sec.
Starting Sunday with a razor-thin 3.0sec advantage, the Welshman from Dolgellau briefly lost the lead as Katsuta came out firing, producing a 7.5sec stage win on Västervik’s opening run. But Evans and co-driver Scott Martin were quick to respond.
They fought back in style on the repeated run that followed, setting the benchmark time to reclaim control by 3.7sec before hammering home their advantage with a commanding drive through the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage – sealing victory as Katsuta held off Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who finished 11.9sec back from the top spot in third. Toyota GR Yaris models filled five of the top ten spots.
The result moved Evans to the top of the FIA World Rally Championship standings with a lead of 28 points after two of 14 rounds, building on his runner-up finish at the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo last month.
Neuville, the reigning champion, had to work hard to secure the final podium spot, fending off resurgent team-mate Ott Tänak by just 4.9sec. Tänak, hindered by an engine mapping issue on his i20 N Rally1 on Saturday, was back to form for Super Sunday and third only to Evans and Katsuta in outright pace across the final day.
Two-time WRC champion Kalle Rovanperä endured a frustrating weekend, struggling to find his usual rhythm. The Toyota star claimed just one stage win across the rally’s 18 tests and ultimately trailed Tänak by 16.0sec as he settled for fifth place.
Mārtiņš Sesks delivered a solid performance on his WRC return, securing sixth place as M-Sport Ford’s top finisher. The Latvian ended the rally 17.6sec ahead of Toyota’s Sami Pajari, while Josh McErlean – who had been running eighth – slid down the order after getting his Puma Rally1 stuck in a snowbank on the first stage of the day.
Grégoire Munster inherited eighth from team-mate McErlean as WRC2 frontrunners Oliver Solberg and Roope Korhonen completed the top 10.
The FIA World Rally Championship heads to Africa next for the legendary Safari Rally Kenya, round three of the season, from 20 – 23 March.
The Probite British Rally Championship will lift the curtain on 2025 next weekend with the highly anticipated East Riding Stages on 23 February, marking the beginning of another thrilling season.
With a refreshed calendar, a sensational driver lineup, and a major list of Rally2 machinery in the series, the year is set for another electrifying title fight.
New to the billing, the opening round has attracted an impressive list of crews, battling for glory at the first of six action-packed events. The fast and furious closed roads around the Beverley base in Yorkshire is an exciting addition, with a fan-centric format offering the public an unrivalled rally experience.
However, there is stiff competition from a mix of experienced challengers and ambitious young talents eager to make their mark on the championship. Among the key opponents are former champions and rising stars, all determined to stake their claim for the coveted title.
A dedicated one-hour highlights show on ITV4 and availability on the accompanying online catch-up service ITVX continues, offering unrivalled visibility across the UK and Republic of Ireland for drivers, events, and partners.
Categories contest
No less than two world-champions adorn the entry list for round one, with 2023 Junior WRC champ and last year’s BRC runner up William Creighton and Liam Regan making the switch to the Castrol MEM Rally Team in a Michelin-shod Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
In the M-Sport Ford Rally Team camp, it’s Estonian rising star and 2024 Junior WRC winner Romet Jürgenson who makes a welcome appearance in the series with Siim Oja alongside, piloting a Pirelli-supported Ford Fiesta Rally2.
The Welsh pairing of Meirion Evans and Dale Furniss join Creighton in the MEM Rally Team, whilst Garry Pearson and Hannah McKillop bolster the M-Sport squad.
