Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin lead this year’s FIA World Rally Championship following a hard-fought victory on last weekend’s snow-covered Rally Sweden.
It marks the third time the British duo – both graduates of the Motorsport UK Academy – have won the WRC’s only pure winter round and builds on their fine second-place finish at the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally.
Pressed all the way by his three Toyota team-mates, Evans overcame determined opposition to secure a famous hat-trick of victories on a frozen event that has traditionally favoured local Scandinavian crews. He previously triumphed in 2020 and 2025.
In addition to his outright win, Evans topped the Super Sunday classification and claimed further valuable points by finishing second in the rally-ending Power Stage. The impressive points haul leaves the pace-setting pair 13 points clear at the top of the championship standings after two of the 12 rounds.
“It’s been a great weekend for us and the whole team here in Sweden,” confirmed the Welshman, who led a dominant Toyota 1-2-3-4 finish. “The car has been amazing to drive, so a big thanks to everyone at the team – they’ve done an incredible job again. It’s a fantastic feeling to drive on these fast stages in such great winter conditions and, when you feel good in the car, it’s always a pleasure.
“We didn’t have a huge margin coming into the final day, and with so many points available on Sundays, we had to push until the end. But we can be very happy with what we came away with.”
Having finished runner-up in the title race for the fifth time in 2025, Evans vowed to come out all guns blazing in his ongoing quest to secure the elusive WRC crown in 2026.
He is certainly delivering on that attacking intent – though the former British Junior and British Rally Champion knows all too well that significant challenges still lie ahead.
“It’s been a great start to the year, but it’s still early days and we need to keep working hard,” he admitted, offering a note of understandable caution.
Two gravel rallies in Portugal and Spain are next on the WRC calendar, where – as championship leaders – Evans and Martin will face the added challenge of an unfavourable starting position.