Ogier Cuts Evans' Wrc Lead Before Saudi Finale

14 hours ago

Elfyn Evans will return a World Rally Championship (WRC) lead of conscionable 3 points into nan last information of nan play aft rival Sebastien Ogier won Rally Japan.

Welsh driver Evans, 36, vanished 11.6 seconds down his Toyota team-mate, collecting 25 points from nan penultimate event, while eight-time world champion Ogier took nan maximum 35.

The 41-year-old Frenchman dominated throughout, including topping nan Super Sunday standings connected a last time deed by torrential rain.

"I was going to opportunity it's nosy but that's a spot of a dishonesty astir today," said Evans who is bidding for his maiden world title.

"Overall it's been a nosy play to effort and conflict pinch Seb."

A 3rd Toyota driver, Kalle Rovanpera, now only has an extracurricular chance of winning his 3rd WRC title - trailing by 24 points aft placing sixth successful Japan.

The last arena connected nan 14-race almanac is nan recently established Rally Saudi Arabia from 25-29 November.

Evans held a 13-point lead complete some Ogier and Rovanpera going into nan Toyota City-based event.

However, nan Finn's hopes took an early blow, dropping much than 5 minutes connected Friday aft damaging his rear suspension successful a collision pinch a barrier.

Evans began slowly, placing sixth connected nan opening stage, but put together back-to-back shape wins connected Friday and a beardown Saturday greeting series to emergence up to 2nd conscionable 1.4secs down leader Ogier.

The Frenchman responded pinch a ascendant capacity connected Saturday afternoon, which continued arsenic he was besides nan quickest driver crossed nan last day's six stages - including adding a further further 5 points pinch triumph successful nan last prize powerfulness stage.

"It's evidently a cleanable result," said Ogier, who is looking to adjacent Sebastien Loeb's grounds 9 world titles.

"It's been a challenging play because aft nan rainfall coming thing was certain, it was nan commencement of a caller rally this morning.

"Now, let's spell to nan adjacent one. This was a cleanable play for america to travel backmost truthful adjacent [to Evans] and let's dream nan past 1 is not a lottery."

Toyota Gazoo Racing person already secured their 5th consecutive WRC manufacturers' title and are now guaranteed to return nan apical 3 places successful nan drivers' championship.

Rovanpera, though, looks destined to decorativeness 3rd successful his last rally play earlier switching to a profession successful circuit racing.

"Definitely not nan play we wanted to person but sometimes it's for illustration this," said nan 25-year-old Finn.

"Just a spot excessively inconsistent pinch results this year."

1. Sebastien Ogier (France), Toyota, 3 hours 21 minutes 8.9 seconds

2. Elfyn Evans (Great Britain), Toyota, +11.6secs

3. Sami Pajari (Finland), Toyota, +2min 16.6secs

4. Ott Tanak (Estonia), Hyundai, +3min 18.1secs

5. Gregoire Munster (Luxembourg), Ford, +6min 48.7secs

6. Kalle Rovanpera (Finland), Toyota, +7min 01.5secs

1. Elfyn Evans (Great Britain), Toyota, 272 points

2. Sebastien Ogier (France), Toyota, 269

3. Kalle Rovanpera (Finland), Toyota, 248