For Elfyn Evans, the 2025 Rally Sweden wasn’t just another win—it was a statement to the entire WRC grid. Toyota’s Welsh ace put on a masterclass, crushing his rivals and proving that he isn’t just the consistent contender—he’s now the man to beat.
In a rally filled with drama, unexpected mechanical issues, and title contenders faltering, Evans stood tall, delivering one of the most commanding performances of his career.
Evans Crushes Toyota Teammates to Secure Sweden Victory
The biggest threat to Evans all weekend? His own Toyota teammates.
From the opening stages, it was clear that Rovanperä wouldn’t be in the mix, struggling to adapt to the new Hankook tires. His lack of confidence was evident:
“You shouldn’t be needing to think about your driving ever. It just comes how it is. And now I can feel that I need to think some things during driving, which is never good.”
Meanwhile, Takamoto Katsuta emerged as Evans’ most serious challenger. The Japanese star was relentless, pushing the Welshman at every opportunity. At one point, he even stole the lead, piling the pressure onto Evans.
But when it mattered most, Evans delivered.
- Katsuta cut the gap to just 0.1s on Saturday, but Evans immediately responded with a stage win.
- A half-spin by Evans briefly opened the door, but the Toyota driver slammed it shut with an 8.2s time gain over Katsuta on Sunday morning.
- He sealed the deal by winning all 10 Sunday points, turning an already crushing win into a devastating blow for his rivals.
Tänak, Neuville, and Hyundai Left Scrambling
While Toyota celebrated, Hyundai suffered.
Ott Tänak, widely expected to bounce back from Monte Carlo struggles, looked like a serious threat early on. By Saturday morning, he had cut his deficit to the leader down to 1.6 seconds and was poised to pounce.
Then, disaster struck.
A mysterious leak forced Hyundai’s engineers to turn down the power, effectively ending Tänak’s chances of victory.
“The train left the station,” Tänak admitted.
Despite survival mode kicking in, he agonizingly missed the podium, finishing behind his teammate Thierry Neuville.
For Neuville, Sweden was a mix of frustration and optimism. He smelled blood after Evans’ half-spin, but ultimately couldn’t match the raw pace of the Toyota machines.
“I’m happy to see that we had the pace all over the weekend and we were still in contention for victory,” Neuville reflected. “But struggling here and there with balance and tire degradation just wasn’t ideal.”
It wasn’t the disaster Hyundai feared, but with Evans already running away with the championship, they need to find answers fast.
Adrien Fourmaux’s Wild Weekend Ends in Heartbreak
One of the most electrifying drivers of the rally was Adrien Fourmaux.
For much of the event, the young Frenchman looked capable of matching the world champions, even putting his M-Sport Ford teammate behind him.
Then, disaster struck—not once, but twice.
- First, a bizarre helmet mishap cost him over 20 seconds.
- Then, he crashed into a snowbank, becoming the first Rally1 driver of 2025 to retire in Sweden.
After such a strong start to the season, Fourmaux was left frustrated.
“A small mistake, but big consequence. I just threw away all our effort and hope for this weekend.”
He now sits 40 points behind Evans, a gap that will take some serious effort to close.
Is Evans Finally Ready to Claim His First WRC Title?
For years, Elfyn Evans has been the reliable, consistent contender—always there to pick up points, but never quite the dominant force.
That version of Evans is gone.
The new Elfyn Evans isn’t waiting for opportunities—he’s taking them.
- He outdrove Katsuta at every critical moment.
- He didn’t panic under pressure.
- He knew exactly when to push and when to hold back—the mark of a true champion-in-waiting.
“We had a decent car this weekend. Even if we knew on some stages it wasn’t perfect, we knew exactly what we had and we stuck with it.”
And it’s working.
Even without his Monte Carlo result, Evans would still be leading the championship after Sweden—a testament to just how dominant he has been.
For a driver tired of finishing second in the standings, this is the breakthrough season he’s been waiting for.
If his rivals don’t step up soon, 2025 might finally be Elfyn Evans’ year.