Elfyn Evans leads Toyota lockout at Rally Sweden

Elfyn Evans has taken control of Rally Sweden, leading a Toyota Gazoo Racing 1-2-3 heading into the midday service. The Welshman established a 14.5-second buffer over teammate Takamoto Katsuta, with Sami Pajari holding third place following a challenging opening loop on the frozen stages.

Overnight leader Oliver Solberg saw his advantage vanish during the morning session. A stall on SS2, followed by a mistake on SS3 that sent his GR Yaris into a snowbank, cost the Swede significant time. Despite setting the fastest time on the final stage of the loop, he remains in fifth overall, trailing the lead by over 36 seconds.

Elsewhere, the field faced mixed fortunes. Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi occupies fourth place, though he expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of his i20 N, while teammate Thierry Neuville lost over a minute after getting stuck in a snowbank. M-Sport Ford endured a difficult morning, with all three Puma entries plagued by repeated tyre issues that hampered their progress.

Action resumes this afternoon with a repeat of the morning’s three special stages, as crews look to refine their setups and recover lost ground before returning to the service park in Umeå.