Evans made a small mistake on the last stage of Saturday, allowing his teammate Takamoto Katsuta to close the gap to just three seconds ahead of the final day.
“I’m relatively happy. It’s been up and down for everyone at some point during the day, but overall, things are working well,” Evans summed up.
The conditions in Rally Sweden have varied from stage to stage, with drivers facing challenges, particularly in the second loop on Saturday.
“Conditions change from stage to stage, depending on the road’s character and where the worn tyres are on the car. That has a big impact on how the car behaves. It’s rare to have the same car from stage to stage,” Evans explained.
Evans’ victory is far from certain. Katsuta is breathing down his neck, and Hyundai drivers Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak are still very much in the fight for the win.
“I try, but it’s not just Taka. Several drivers are very close, leaving no room for error. Taka is the closest and putting on the most pressure, but many behind him want the position just as much,” Evans pointed out.
Evans now has to carefully consider his approach to Sunday. There are still plenty of extra points available, but at the same time, he must secure overall victory in an intense second-by-second battle. According to Evans, there’s only one tactical option for Sunday.
“When the fight is this tight, the option is clear—you have to go for it to stay in the battle. Sundays like this are actually quite straightforward,” Evans predicted ahead of the final day.
When asked directly if he feels pressure to win, his response was cold and confident.
“What pressure?” Evans replied coolly.
Trailing his teammate by three seconds and currently second in the rally ahead of the final day, Takamoto Katsuta acknowledged Evans’ composure.
“He’s used to fighting for victory and managing pressure well over the years. Beating him isn’t easy, but I’ll do my best. So far, it looks good. There are still some tricky sections ahead, so I need to stay focused There are still a few stages left – not many, but still some distance to cover and tricky sections ahead. I need to stay sharp and focused until the end,” Katsuta anticipated.
Sunday in Rally Sweden will feature three more stages.
