Elfyn Evans and his co-driver Scott Martin emerged victorious in Rally Sweden, the only winter event of the FIA World Rally Championship. Evans recaptured the lead from teammate Takamoto Katsuta in the final stages, ultimately securing victory with a narrow margin of 3.8 seconds. Evans' triumph marks his 10th WRC win and moves him to a 28-point lead in the drivers' championship.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team's performance saw them achieve a one-two finish, placing them second in the all-time list of the most successful manufacturers in the series. "Congratulations to Elfyn and Scott for winning the rally," stated Akio Toyoda, Chairman of TGR-WRT. "I also thank everyone in the team for building cars that allowed the drivers to compete comfortably until the end."
Jari-Matti Latvala, Team Principal, lauded the drivers' resilience: "I’m really proud of both Elfyn and Takamoto for the way that they fought, and for how strong they have been mentally."
Evans expressed his satisfaction with the weekend, saying, "It’s been an amazing weekend. We led for a lot of the rally but the margins were always tight and it was never really comfortable."
Kalle Rovanperä finished fifth, expressing disappointment over his performance but commending his teammates’ accomplishments. "I’m really glad that both drivers could bring home the one-two and the maximum points for the team."
Takamoto Katsuta enjoyed the competition: "It’s been a really nice fight with Elfyn and with the Hyundai drivers not far behind us as well," he said. "At the end, I’m happy to have done a good job for the team."
For the complete results and more information, visit www.wrc.com.