Evans Closes on Ogier as Title Tension Builds in Japan
The Welshman, chasing his first world title, started the day third in an all-Toyota top three. By the end of the 21.74km Mt Kasagi test, he was within striking distance of his eight-time champion team-mate, bringing himself firmly into the fight for the rally lead.
Evans' morning gathered pace with every kilometre. He began by beating title rival Ogier and Takamoto Katsuta on the brand-new Obara stage, then shadowed pacesetter Adrien Fourmaux on the following Ena 1 before going fastest on Mt Kasagi’s narrow, leaf-strewn asphalt.
"It’s hard to say how you’re doing," Evans shrugged. "It’s really dirty in there in places. I don’t know anymore - I just keep driving."
Ogier, who has led since Friday morning, couldn’t match his team-mate’s charge. Fifth-fastest on Ena and then 5.4sec adrift on Mt Kasagi, he watched his advantage shrink from 7.9sec overnight to just two.
"I was not fast enough and not confident enough," he admitted. "With the leaves and pollution, it’s tricky - but there’s still opportunity ahead."
Despite dropping behind Evans, home hero Katsuta reeled off two top three times of his own to remain just 5.2sec back from the lead despite "not being committed enough in the tricky polluted sections."
Adrien Fourmaux was the morning’s headline act for Hyundai Motorsport, storming to the Korean marque’s first two stage wins of the event and hauling himself within 9.2sec of Katsuta. In contrast, there was heartbreak for Thierry Neuville, who retired his i20 N with a broken driveshaft after limping through the first stage of the day.
Sami Pajari survived a half-spin against a bank to reach the day’s halfway point in fifth overall, with Ott Tänak and Grégoire Munster sitting sixth and seventh ahead of Oliver Solberg’s Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
Alejandro Cachón continued to control the WRC2 category in his Toyota ahead of Nikolay Gryazin. Both remained inside the overall top ten, which was completed by Kalle Rovanperä – recovering from suspension damage on Friday.
