Evans holds off Katsuta for narrow WRC Rally Sweden victory

Elfyn Evans (above) fended off a final-day charge from Toyota Gazoo Racing teammate Takamoto Katsuta to secure victory on Rally Sweden and move into the FIA World Rally Championship points lead.

After taking, then losing, then winning back the rally lead over three high-speed legs on the frozen stages around Umea, Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 driver Evans delivered when it mattered most – shutting the door on Katsuta in a tense final-day shootout to claim his 10th career WRC win by 3.8s.

Starting Sunday with a razor-thin 3.0s advantage on the series’ only true winter rally, Evans briefly lost the lead as Katsuta began the short, three-stage final leg on a mission. The Japanese driver was fastest on the 18.24-mile Vastervik 1 opener by 7.5s but Evans and his co-driver, Scott Martin, were quick to respond.

Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta came out of the blocks flying on Sunday but finished just 3.8s short of a first WRC win. Toyota Gazoo Racing photo

The all-Welsh duo fought back in style on the repeated run that followed, setting the fastest time to reclaim control by 3.7s. They hammered home their advantage with a commanding drive through the bonus points-paying, rally-ending Wolf Power Stage to seal the overall victory as Katsuta held off Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who completed the super-close podium just 11.9s back from Evans.

The result builds on Evans’ runner-up finish on last month’s season-opening Monte Carlo Rally, moving him to the top of the WRC drivers’ championship standings with a lead of 28 points after two of 14 rounds.

“It’s been a very good weekend, but I made life very difficult for myself on that first stage this morning,” said Evans, who’s now a two-time Sweden victor with Toyota after winning a near-snow-free event in 2020. “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. It’s very early days, but I don’t think you could wish for much better than this.”

Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin take over the WRC points lead after their Swedish victory. Red Bull Content Pool

Neuville, the reigning WRC champ, had to work hard to secure the final podium spot in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1, fending off resurgent teammate Ott Tanak by a scant 4.9s.

Tanak, hindered by an engine mapping issue on Saturday, was back to form for Sunday’s final leg and the closest driver to Evans and Katsuta in outright pace across the final three stages.

Hyundai’s reigning WRC champ Thierry Neuville put some momentum into his title defense with third overall on Sweden’s snow and ice. Red Bull Content Pool

Two-time WRC champ Kalle Rovanpera endured a frustrating weekend, struggling to find his usual rhythm on the series’ new-for-2025 studded Hankook tires. The Toyota ace, who’s returned to full-time duties after opting for a part season last year, claimed just one fastest time across the rally’s 18 special stages and ultimately trailed Tanak by 16.0s as he settled for fifth place.

Martins Sesks delivered a solid performance on his WRC return, securing sixth place as M-Sport Ford’s top finisher in only his fourth top-tier Rally1 start. The Latvian ended the rally 17.6s ahead of newly promoted Toyota factory driver Sami Pajari.

Rally1 rookie Josh McErlean – who’d been running eighth in the second of M-Sport Ford’s Puma Rally1 fleet – slid down the order after getting stuck in one of the rally’s signature snowbanks on Sunday’s first stage, allowing teammate Gregoire Munster to inherit eighth.

Martins Sesks finished best of the M-Sport Ford contingent with sixth overall in his Puma Rally1. M-Sport photo

In WRC2, the second tier of international rallying, Oliver Solberg delivered another masterclass on home ground, clinching a dominant third consecutive class win on Rally Sweden. The Swede was untouchable from start to finish on the fast, ice-covered roads, taking his PrintSport Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 to the WRC2 win with a commanding 42.5s margin over Finnish rising star Roope Korhonen’s similar car.

“It is a fantastic relief, amazing,” said Solberg. “To win it three years in a row, and now with a new car , being on the pace and so fast and winning on snow is an incredible feeling.

“We’ve been working hard to get the feeling. I was quite nervous to see where the performance was, so thanks to the team and the mechanics.”

Oliver Solberg made it three Rally Sweden WRC2 wins in three years, the local hero now driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Red Bull Content Pool

Next up, the FIA World Rally Championship heads to Africa for one of the most prestigious events on the calendar, Safari Rally Kenya, March 20-23. Shortened from the grueling marathons of the past, the Safari still provides a tough test with its car-clogging fesh-fesh dust, rutted tracks and – more likely than not – flash rain showers and sticky mud.

WRC Rally Sweden, final positions after Sunday/Leg Three, SS18
1 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 2h33m39.2s
2 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +3.8s
3 Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +11.9s
4 Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +16.8s
5 Kalle Rovanpera/Jonne Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +32.8s
6 Martins Sesks/Renars Francis (Ford Puma Rally1) +2m09.4s
7 Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +2m27.0s
8 Gregoire Munster/Louis Louka (Ford Puma Rally1) +4m08.6s
9 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 – WRC2 winner) +8m23.1s
10 Roope Korhonen/Anssi Viinikka (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 – WRC2) +9m05.6s

WRC Drivers’ Championship after 2 of 14 rounds
1 Evans 61 points
2 Sebastien Ogier 33
3 Rovanpera 31
4 Neuville 29
5 Tanak 26
6 Katsuta 25

WRC Manufacturers’ Championship after 2 of 14 rounds
1 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 120 points
2 Hyundai Word Rally Team 72
3 M-Sport Ford 25 4 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 11

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