Evans takes control of the Rally Sweden after Friday's rally

Elfyn Evans closed Friday at the Rally Sweden in first position, leading Takamoto Katsuta by just 0.6 seconds. The day was marked by multiple changes in the classification due to tire wear management and the evolving terrain conditions.

Tight Battle for the Lead

Takamoto Katsuta briefly took the lead in SS5, but Evans responded immediately to reclaim his position. Later, Ott Tänak moved to the top during the Bäck special stage, but lost time in the Umeå Sprint due to tire wear, allowing Evans to finish the day back in front.

Katsuta finished just 0.6 seconds behind, while Tänak ended up third, 2.5 seconds off the lead. Adrien Fourmaux, after posting competitive times in the morning, concluded the day in fourth place, 7.9 seconds behind, after losing time in SS5, where Kalle Rovanperä and Josh McErlean also encountered problems.

Neuville and Rovanperä Aim to Improve

Thierry Neuville had a tough start with understeer issues during the first stages. Later, he stabilized his pace and ended the day in fifth position, 9.1 seconds off the lead.

Kalle Rovanperä failed to enter the top three on any stage. An error in SS5 pushed him back to sixth position, 25.5 seconds behind Evans.

Friday's Final Standings

Mārtiņš Sesks from M-Sport Ford posted good times in two stages and finished seventh. His teammate, Josh McErlean, continues to adapt to the category and ended up eighth.

Finnish driver Sami Pajari from Toyota suffered a delay after hitting a snowbank in the first stage, which dropped him to ninth. Grégoire Munster, also with a Ford Puma, completed the top ten.

New Opportunities on Saturday

Saturday includes seven timed stages, covering 101.96 kilometers. The competition remains open, with several drivers well-positioned to challenge for top spots.

Overall Classification After Friday