Toyota dominates opening day of Rally Sweden
Toyota Gazoo Racing asserted control at Rally Sweden on Friday, with Takamoto Katsuta ending the day in the lead. Katsuta successfully chased down teammate Elfyn Evans during the afternoon stages, moving into the top spot and finishing the day with a narrow 2.8-second advantage. Sami Pajari completed the manufacturer's podium lockout, rounding out a dominant performance for the GR Yaris Rally1 machines.
The day began with local favorite Oliver Solberg showing strong pace, but his chances were sidelined early after an incident on the third stage resulted in a snowbank collision and significant time loss. Evans benefited from the changing conditions, initially building a double-digit lead before the deteriorating, rutted roads allowed Katsuta to mount his comeback.
Elsewhere, the field faced various struggles as Hyundai and M-Sport Ford navigated a difficult day. Esapekka Lappi led the Hyundai charge in fourth, while Thierry Neuville battled to recover from his own morning error. M-Sport Ford suffered a difficult morning session plagued by multiple tire failures that hampered their trio of entries, forcing an early exit for Mārtiņš Sesks. The action continues Saturday with seven additional stages scheduled.
