Elfyn Evans will carry a 13.3sec advantage into Sunday’s finale at Rally Sweden after a commanding Saturday drive placed Toyota Gazoo Racing firmly in control of the podium positions on the snow.
The Welshman turned a 2.8sec overnight deficit into a slender but decisive cushion over team-mate Takamoto Katsuta, with Sami Pajari completing a GR Yaris Rally1 1-2-3 after another assured display from the Finn.
The rally swung immediately on SS9 Vännäs 1. Evans struck hard on the opening test, outpacing overnight leader Katsuta by 7.2sec to pass the Japanese driver and seize a 4.4sec advantage.
The Welshman stretched the gap to 18.0sec by SS13 before Katsuta used the final two tests to trim the margin back to 13.3sec heading into the final leg.
“This morning was pretty good but this afternoon a bit more mixed,” Evans said. “Looking after the tyres was a bit more difficult and not my speciality, but it has still been a clean afternoon.”
Katsuta, chasing what would be his maiden WRC victory, struggled to explain a sudden loss of feeling from the car as the day unfolded.
“I feel like I have no traction and no grip. I don’t know why. It is so strange,” he admitted.
Behind them, Pajari underlined his growing authority at Rally1 level. Fastest times on SS12 and SS14 consolidated third overall, 25.4sec adrift of the lead but comfortably clear of the fight behind.
Early favourite Oliver Solberg continued his recovery from Friday’s time loss to climb from sixth to fourth, 58.4sec down. The Swede found conditions increasingly challenging as the loose snow base broke up.
“It has been a tricky afternoon, difficult to find the rhythm and the confidence,” the championship leader said. “It’s like an ice rink in places.”
It proved another challenging day for Hyundai Motorsport. Esapekka Lappi ended Saturday fifth, 1min 09.5sec from the lead, with Adrien Fourmaux sixth after experimenting with aggressive damper changes in search of pace. Thierry Neuville, seventh, topped the times on the final stage of the day but conceded performance remained elusive.
“That is all we have at the moment, but at least we had a bit of fun,” Neuville reflected.
Saturday delivered a breakthrough for M-Sport Ford. Mārtiņš Sesks impressed on SS10 Sarsjöliden 1 (14.23km), beating Evans by 0.9sec to claim his eighth WRC stage win in a Ford Puma Rally1.
He later managed water-pressure warnings but reached the overnight halt safely. Team-mate Jon Armstrong held eighth overall, while Josh McErlean overcame intermittent light-pod issues at high speed to hold ninth ahead of WRC2 leader Roope Korhonen.
Three stages remain on Sunday: a double pass of Västervik followed by the rally-deciding Wolf Power Stage at Umeå 2.
Standings after Saturday (SS15 /18):
1. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2h 05m 14.6s
2. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +13.3s
3. S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +25.4s
4. O Solberg / E Edmondson SWE Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +58.4s
5. E Lappi / E Mälkönen FIN Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +1m 09.5s
6. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +1m 17.7s