Elfyn Evans has emerged victorious from a thrilling Rally Sweden, battling through challenging conditions and a fierce challenge from teammate Takamoto Katsuta to secure his 10th career WRC win. This hard-fought victory propels Evans to the top of the FIA World Rally Championship standings, marking a dominant start to his 2024 campaign.
The rally was a nail-biting affair, with Evans and Katsuta trading blows throughout the four days of intense competition on the frozen stages near Umeå. Evans started Sunday with a slim 3.0-second lead, but Katsuta came out swinging, taking the lead with a commanding stage win on the opening run of Västervik. However, Evans and co-driver Scott Martin responded quickly, reclaiming the lead with a blistering time on the repeated run. They then sealed the deal with a dominant performance on the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage, ultimately winning by a mere 3.8 seconds.
“It’s been a very good weekend, but I made life very difficult for myself on that first stage this morning,” Evans admitted. “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.”
For Katsuta, second place represents another strong showing, as he held off a charging Thierry Neuville to secure his position. Neuville, the reigning champion, fought hard for the final podium spot, finishing 11.9 seconds behind Evans and just 4.9 seconds ahead of his Hyundai teammate Ott Tänak. Tänak, who struggled with engine mapping issues on Saturday, showed his true pace on Sunday, setting competitive stage times and finishing just off the podium.
Two-time WRC champion Kalle Rovanperä had a weekend to forget. Struggling to find his rhythm, he could only manage fifth place, trailing Tänak by 16.0 seconds. It was a frustrating rally for the Toyota star, who will be looking to bounce back at the next event.
Mārtiņš Sesks delivered a solid performance on his return to the WRC, finishing sixth and leading the M-Sport Ford charge. He finished comfortably ahead of Toyota’s Sami Pajari, while Josh McErlean, who had been running eighth, dropped down the order after getting stuck in a snowbank. Grégoire Munster inherited eighth place from his teammate, while WRC2 competitors Oliver Solberg and Roope Korhonen rounded out the top ten.
With this victory, Evans takes a commanding lead in the drivers’ championship standings, holding a 28-point advantage after just two rounds. His strong start to the season, with a second-place finish at Rallye Monte-Carlo followed by this win in Sweden, positions him as a serious contender for the title.
The FIA World Rally Championship now heads to Africa for the legendary Safari Rally Kenya, the third round of the championship, from March 20-23. The dramatic shift from the ice and snow of Sweden to the challenging terrain of Kenya will provide a very different test for the drivers and their teams.
Summary:
- Elfyn Evans wins Rally Sweden
- Takamoto Katsuta finishes second
- Thierry Neuville secures third place
- Evans takes the championship lead
- The WRC now heads to Safari Rally Kenya
Disclaimer: This information is based on reports available at the time of writing. Rally results are provisional and subject to change. For the latest updates and official standings, please refer to the official WRC website.
Source: WRC
This article was crafted with assistance from Gemini
