Rallying-Evans leads Ogier on day one of Monza season finale

Elfyn Evans led Toyota team mate and championship frontrunner Sebastien Ogier after the first day of the title-deciding final round of the world rally championship in Italy on Friday.

Elfyn Evans led Toyota team mate and championship frontrunner Sebastien Ogier after the first day of the title-deciding final round of the world rally championship in Italy on Friday. The Welshman completed the seventh stage of the Monza Rally with a 1.4 second advantage over the Frenchman, who is chasing his eighth world championship in nine years and enjoys a 17 point lead.

Hyundai's Thierry Neuville was in third place, 20.2 seconds further behind. Evans is the only driver who can deny Ogier the title but he has played down his chances, saying before the start that he would just treat it like any other rally and go out to do his best.

Ogier led after the first four foggy stages in the Italian Alps but Evans went ahead at the Monza circuit, home to the country's Formula One Grand Prix, in the afternoon when the Frenchman had brake problems. The day finished in the dark and on slippery asphalt.

"It's been a good start," said Ogier. "I think we had a good drive in the mountains. This afternoon I had some little issues and I didn't take any risks in the last stage with the chicanes. "I'm happy where I am right now. Elfyn is not a fight I need to take on."

Evans must win with Ogier outside the top three to become the first British world rally champion since the late Richard Burns in 2001.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)