Elfyn Evans loses WRC lead as Solberg claims shock Rally Estonia win
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Belfast Telegraph
17 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Josh McErlean full of glee after turning in impressive display at ‘crazy but enjoyable' Rally Finland
McErlean delivered consistent pace and a clean performance across all four legs of the Jyvaskyla-based gravel fixture to add to his tally of FIA World Rally Championship points in seventh. Changeable conditions and rutted sections meant it was not always a case of fifth-gear driving, with this requiring a more measured approach by the 26-year-old on occasions. McErlean was promoted to eighth place on SS15 when Sesks was forced to pull over and stop due to a misted windscreen impairing his visibility, while he was handed another spot on the Power Stage due to Hyundai Motorsport's Adrien Fourmaux retiring his i20 N Rally1 having hit a large rock. Two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera stole the Rally Finland show, ending an eight-year wait for a local winner and leading a 1-2-3-4-5 clean sweep for Toyota Gazoo Racing. 'It has been generally good and it is nice to end as the top M-Sport driver so, overall, I don't think we could ask for much more than that,' said McErlean, who took former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond on a blast through Thursday's Ruuhimaki shakedown stage. 'It is not a straightforward rally, to go through these forests at such high speeds, so to make it to the end is really pleasing for me personally. 'You have to take so many risks and you have to be pinpoint perfect with your pace notes because if you get out of line, it is game over, so it is nice to get through. Hopefully, we can continue to build from here. 'Finland has been a crazy rally, but it has been one of the most enjoyable so far this season. Coming to Finland in a Rally1 car was always going to be something special, and to experience these conditions and these stages, especially Ouninpohja today, was nice. Finishing as the top M-Sport car in seventh is a great way to end the experience.' Meanwhile, Kris Meeke consolidated his lead in the Portuguese Rally Championship with two rounds left after scoring maximum points at Rali da Madeira alongside Stuart Loudon. It was some consolation for the Dungannon native, who was confident of challenging for a maiden win at an event that has been less than kind to him on three of his previous four visits. He was in the mix after five stages before a puncture on the 13.78-mile 'Palheiro Ferreiro' test cost Meeke the guts of half a minute and dropped him three places to sixth position. He rebounded on the next stage, moving up to fifth where he finished the Tarmac classic. 'Obviously I tried, but the puncture set us back quite a lot and our speed was not enough to fight at the front,' said Meeke. 'On the last couple of stages, it came good and I started to find a rhythm, but you need knowledge of those roads to go fast.'
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Evans reclaims WRC lead after Rovanpera's record
Elfyn Evans has reclaimed the World Rally Championship (WRC) lead by finishing fourth at Rally Finland where home hero Kalle Rovanpera Welshman could not keep up with Rovanpera's record-breaking pace, but was one of the Toyota drivers who completed the first all-top-five for a manufacturer since Lancia's did so at Rally de Portugal in average speed of 129.95kph over the four days was the fastest in WRC history as he won by 39.2seconds after leading from Friday Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux were scuppered by tyre problems on Saturday to take the pressure off 24-year-old while Evans can celebrate returning to the top of the standings, Rovanpera is now lying three points behind in second.A mere 6.6secs separated Japan's Takamoto Katsuta, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier and Evans at the finish as they came in second, third and fourth respectively with Finn Sami Pajari completing the Toyota top five. McErlean matches best effort Estonia's Ott Tanak finished 10th as he dropped to fourth in the title race while conceding top spot to Evans, who had been knocked off top spot by the 2019 champion at Rally Estonia in Ireland Rally Academy driver Josh McErlean matched his best WRC result in was a strong performance by the 26-year-old from Northern Ireland, who blended flashes of speed with consistency, as McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy were the best-ranked M-Sport Ford driver."It's such a special place to equal our best result for the season," said McErlean, who is his first season in the WRC."It's the most incredible rally, the most incredible speeds and most incredible experience".It was a strong weekend for Northern Irish and Irish crews, as Aaron Johnston navigated Katsuta to the Junior WRC, Donegal's Eamonn Kelly and co-driver Conor Mohan claimed their first victory of the season ahead of championship leader Taylor Gill.
Cambrian News
25-07-2025
- Cambrian News
Elfyn Evans anticipates thrilling return to Rally Finland
The forests of central Finland around the city of Jyväskylä are considered to be rallying's spiritual home, containing smooth and high-speed gravel roads with frequent jumps and crests that delight drivers and fans alike. They are home territory too for TGR-WRT, which is headquartered just three kilometres across the Jyväsjärvi lake from the service park and has won six of the last seven editions of Rally Finland.
