Elfyn Evans Leads Toyota Quartet in Thrilling Rally Sweden

Elfyn Evans takes the lead in Rally Sweden, heading a Toyota quartet into the final day. Evans overcame a 2.8-second deficit, ending 13.3 seconds ahead of teammate Takamoto Katsuta. Sami Pajari holds third, with Oliver Solberg fourth. The final day promises challenges and tight competition.

Elfyn Evans emerged as the frontrunner in Rally Sweden, leading a formidable Toyota quartet into the event's final day. The Welsh rally driver entered Saturday's stages trailing his teammate Takamoto Katsuta by 2.8 seconds but concluded with a commanding lead of 13.3 seconds over the Japanese competitor.

Sami Pajari of Finland maintained his third-place position, trailing Evans by 25.4 seconds, while Sweden's Oliver Solberg, the championship leader, was in fourth, 58.4 seconds behind the top spot. Evans expressed satisfaction with Saturday's performance, particularly strong in the morning session where significant gains were made, despite a more mixed afternoon.

Looking ahead, Evans anticipates a challenging conclusion due to the reversed long stage that will test the drivers' mettle. Meanwhile, Katsuta faced grip issues in the morning but managed tire performance in the afternoon. Thierry Neuville clocked the fastest time in the final stage, driven by personal motivation related to Valentine's Day.