WRC: Elfin Evans wins Rally Japan to extend championship lead

Evans took full advantage of being the first driver on the road to set himself up for victory on Friday – winning stage two by 7.5 seconds.

Posting the fastest time on the third stage, and again winning the afternoon’s second race through the Isegami tunnel, meant the Welshman led by 15.7 seconds at the end of day one.

Toyota team-mate Oliver Solberg and English co-driver Elliot Edmondson were more than five seconds apart on Saturday morning with two stage wins, but the 24-year-old Swede crashed out of contention on stage 12 – earning a rebuke from veteran Ogier.

“Unfortunately it’s not really a surprise, but it’s a shame,” said the 42-year-old Frenchman.

“I saw the risk he was taking was too great.”

Solberg, who dismissed Ogier’s claim, rejoined to claim a maximum of 10 Sunday bonus points and is third in the championship, 49 points behind Evans.

After three crashes this year in tarmac events he now looks forward to the remaining seven rallies on gravel.

“Gravel and so on have been very strong,” says Solberg.

“It’s only pebbles from now, so I still believe anything is possible.”

Evans and co-driver Scott Martin finally won the title after failing to win any of seven consecutive gravel rallies between May and September last season – as they finished championship runners-up for the fifth time in six years.

Running first as the championship leader can be a disadvantage in gravel rallies, as the opening car ‘sweeps’ the road, leaving a cleaner run for the pursuers.

Evans is aware of the problems ahead, admitting dry gravel rallies “we’ve identified as the weakest point of our championship in the past”.

A sterner test of those skills, and a threat to his WRC lead, comes next – round eight of the 14-race series heads to Greece for the June 25-28 Acropolis Rally.