Elfyn Evans powers through the snowy stages of Rally Sweden, holding a narrow lead, while Oliver Solberg dominates WRC-2.Elfyn Evans heads into the final day of Rally Sweden with a slender three-second lead after a near-perfect performance on Saturday.
The Welshman, who ended Friday just six-tenths ahead of Takamoto Katsuta, maintained his advantage throughout the day on the demanding stages of Vännäs, Kolksele, and the legendary Sarsjöliden. At one point, the gap between Evans and Katsuta was a mere tenth of a second, underlining the exceptional competition on display.
Evans managed to stretch his lead to 8.6 seconds at its peak, but by the end of the day, Katsuta had clawed back time, setting up a thrilling showdown for Sunday. The battle for victory is wide open, with just 12.8 seconds separating the top four drivers: Evans, Katsuta, Thierry Neuville, and Ott Tänak.
Meanwhile, Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux saw his rally hopes vanish after sliding into a snowbank on Sarsjöliden's SS10. His crash ended his day and eliminated any chance of fighting for a top result. On Sunday, he will now focus on salvaging valuable points for the Hyundai team in the Power Stage.
The day unfolded under stunning winter conditions, with crisp air, bright sunshine, and a magical festival atmosphere as thousands of fans lined the snowbanks to witness the world's best rally drivers in action. Spectators flocked to the forests of sun-drenched Västerbotten, creating a genuinely spectacular rally festival. Fans braved the cold, setting up campfires, waving flags, and cheering passionately as the cars roared past, making for an electrifying and unforgettable experience.
In the WRC-2 category, Oliver Solberg continues to dominate, extending his lead from 23 to 39 seconds over Finnish driver Roope Korhonen. Mikko Heikkilä holds third place, 53 seconds behind. Solberg appears unstoppable, closing in on his third consecutive Rally Sweden victory.
With such a close fight at the top and challenging conditions, Rally Sweden is set for a spectacular final day of action.
Spectators enjoyed fantastic conditions on saturday, with magical stages and a vibrant festival atmosphere in the sunlight of the landscape around Umeå, Västerbotten.
Rally Sweden är en av 13 deltävlingar i WRC, världsmästerskapen i rally, och det enda utpräglade vinterrallyt. Det är Sveriges största årligen återkommande evenemang med över 100 000 åskådare under fyra dagar och närmare 120 miljoner tv-tittare runt hela världen! Tävlingarna avgörs för första gången i år i Umeå i Västerbotten. Tävlingen har körts sedan 1950 och varit vinterrally sedan 1965. Rally Sweden är känt som en vinterfestival, där publiken kommer förare, bilar och tävlingarna riktigt nära – Closer to Rally.
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