Evans Reclaims Wrc Lead After Rovanpera's Record

Elfyn Evans has reclaimed nan World Rally Championship (WRC) lead by finishing 4th astatine Rally Finland wherever location leader Kalle Rovanpera triumphed.

The Welshman could not support up pinch Rovanpera's record-breaking pace, but was 1 of nan Toyota drivers who completed nan first all-top-five for a shaper since Lancia's did truthful astatine Rally de Portugal successful 1990.

Rovanpera's mean velocity of 129.95kph complete nan 4 days was nan fastest successful WRC history arsenic he won by 39.2seconds aft starring from Friday morning.

Hyundai's Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux were scuppered by tyre problems connected Saturday to return nan unit disconnected 24-year-old Rovanpera.

And while Evans tin observe returning to nan apical of nan standings, Rovanpera is now lying 3 points down successful second.

A specified 6.6secs separated Japan's Takamoto Katsuta, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier and Evans astatine nan decorativeness arsenic they came successful second, 3rd and 4th respectively pinch Finn Sami Pajari completing nan Toyota apical five.

Estonia's Ott Tanak vanished 10th arsenic he dropped to 4th successful nan title title while conceding apical spot to Evans, who had been knocked disconnected apical spot by nan 2019 champion astatine Rally Estonia successful July.

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Josh McErlean matched his champion WRC consequence successful Finland.

It was a beardown capacity by nan 26-year-old from Northern Ireland, who blended flashes of velocity pinch consistency, arsenic McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy were nan best-ranked M-Sport Ford driver.

"It's specified a typical spot to adjacent our champion consequence for nan season," said McErlean, who is his first play successful nan WRC.

"It's nan astir unthinkable rally, nan astir unthinkable speeds and astir unthinkable experience".

It was a beardown play for Northern Irish and Irish crews, arsenic Aaron Johnston navigated Katsuta to second.

In nan Junior WRC, Donegal's Eamonn Kelly and co-driver Conor Mohan claimed their first triumph of nan play up of title leader Taylor Gill.