As the snow covers the Swedish roads, the Sweden Rally turns into a true duel between Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta. In this fierce battle, every second counts, and the precarious grip of the stages tests the drivers’ mastery. Get ready for a day of adrenaline and twists!
Changing Conditions on the Stages
To start the second loop of the day, the drivers encountered a slight sweeping phenomenon on the twelfth stage, already noticeable this morning, while the grip became increasingly precarious. Sami Pajari, true to himself, set the fastest time to defend his podium position, ahead of Esapekka Lappi. The evolving road conditions add a layer of complexity to each pass, making the rally even more thrilling.
Evans Shows Resilience
On the leaders’ side, Elfyn Evans was a bit more reserved in the early splits, but he reacted with a brilliant finish to the stage, thus limiting the damage. Takamoto Katsuta took advantage to stop the morning’s bleeding, but only regained seven tenths on the leader while leaving a bit of his right rear bumper on the frozen asphalt. A scare that reminds us that in this sport, every mistake can be costly.
A Tense Swedish Night
Stage 13 was held in declining light, ending in the Swedish night. Jon Armstrong briefly made a splash by setting an excellent time, but the strong contenders quickly took over. This time, it was Elfyn Evans who struck hard by setting the fastest time, leaving Sami Pajari 3.8 seconds behind and Takamoto Katsuta trailing by 2.6 seconds. A performance that reminds the other drivers that Evans is there to win.
Pajari, the Rising Star
Sami Pajari (Toyota) has been gaining strength. To conclude the loop, the Kolksele stage took place entirely at night. Oliver Solberg made a small mistake, with no real consequences in the standings, but enough to keep Esapekka Lappi in the match with the Swede. For his part, Adrien Fourmaux confirmed a positive momentum by regaining consistency and confidence behind the wheel of the Hyundai. “We have improved our pace and it’s encouraging for tomorrow,” the Frenchman said, sporting a determined smile.
The Battle for the Podium
It was again Sami Pajari who stood out by securing a new fastest time to strengthen his podium position. In the duel for the lead, Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta were nearly even. The Welshman only lost 2.6 seconds to remain firmly at the top of the rally. A true feat given the conditions, demonstrating the incredible mastery of these drivers on slippery roads.
A Final Sprint and Opportunities
As the previous day, the day concluded with the short Umeå Sprint stage, not conducive to creating large gaps in the standings. However, we will remember Oliver Solberg’s contact with the same snowbank that had trapped Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta on Friday night. Thierry Neuville took the fastest time, proving that one must always keep an eye on the surprises of this rally.
Standings After Stage 15: Who Will Emerge Victorious?
Before Super Sunday, Elfyn Evans leads the rally with a 13.3-second advantage over Takamoto Katsuta and 25.4 seconds over Sami Pajari. Behind this trio, a nice battle remains open for fourth place between Oliver Solberg, Esapekka Lappi, and Adrien Fourmaux. On Sunday, the first of the three stages will start at 7:30 AM, promising even more thrills and uncertainties.
