Takamoto Katsuta takes the Rally Sweden lead with two stages left, edging past Elfyn Evans in a thrilling Sunday morning charge.
Toyota driver Takamoto Katsuta has taken the lead of Rally Sweden with just two stages remaining, delivering a stunning Sunday morning charge that saw him overturn a 3.0-second deficit to team-mate Elfyn Evans.
The Japanese driver now leads by 4.5 seconds, following an impressive stage win on SS16.Katsuta’s performance in the snow-covered Swedish landscape has been nothing short of remarkable, as he executed a clean and calculated drive while managing the tricky conditions.
Drama unfolded at Rally Sweden as Adrien Fourmaux lost crucial time after a helmet mishap forced him to stop mid-stage.
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With the rally reaching its climax, he stands on the brink of claiming a breakthrough victory on the WRC stage.
“That’s good,” Katsuta smiled after his stage-winning run as per DirtFish.
“I was very, very clean. OK, a few places are quite slippy than what I expected so I had to use the banks but it wasn’t so bad. Still I can more push, so maybe I don’t need [to] – I don’t know.”
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Katsuta’s charge was aided by a disappointing run for Evans, who struggled with confidence in the handling of his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1.
Evans only managed the fifth-fastest time on SS16, dropping 7.5 seconds and surrendering the rally lead in the process.
“No real issue,” Evans explained.
“Just struggling for confidence with the front end and then not carrying the speed. I’m not sure why it’s feeling so different today.”
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While the battle for victory took a dramatic turn, the fight for third place also intensified. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who began the day in third, found himself under increasing pressure from Ott Tänak. The Estonian closed to within just 1.8 seconds of the Belgian after an impressive SS16 run, where he was second fastest.
Neuville admitted to facing challenges with his Hyundai i20 N Rally1, citing an issue with understeering that hampered his pace.
“Understeering all the time,” Neuville commented, frustrated by the car’s balance on the Swedish snow.
Tänak, meanwhile, was pleased with his car’s setup, especially as he was now running his preferred engine map. The Estonian’s steady push has kept him in contention for a podium finish as the rally heads into its final two stages.
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Elsewhere, M-Sport’s Mārtiņš Sesks extended his gap over Sami Pajari in the battle for sixth despite experiencing a mechanical issue. The Latvian driver encountered a handbrake malfunction that caused all four wheels to lock instead of just the rears, but he still managed to increase his advantage.
His M-Sport teammate Josh McErlean was not as fortunate, as his rally came to a premature end when he got stuck in a snowbank and was forced to retire.
On top of leading the overall classification, Katsuta also sits at the top of the Super Sunday standings, holding a narrow 0.9-second advantage over Tänak.
Reigning world champion Kalle Rovanperä is currently third in the Super Sunday rankings as he looks to collect valuable bonus points before the event concludes.
With only two stages remaining, the pressure is on for Katsuta to maintain his lead and secure his first-ever WRC victory.
The Japanese driver has proven his speed and consistency on the icy Swedish roads, but with Evans and Tänak still within striking distance, the final stages promise to be a thrilling showdown.
If Katsuta can hold on, it would mark a historic milestone in his WRC career and a significant achievement for Toyota, further strengthening the team’s position at the top of the championship standings. All eyes will be on the final two stages as Rally Sweden reaches its dramatic climax.
