Evans Dominates in Wet Conditions to Seize Lead at WRC Rally Chile
In a dramatic turn of events at Rally Chile, Elfyn Evans, the current leader of the World Rally Championship, delivered an outstanding performance in treacherous wet conditions. His masterful driving propelled him from fifth to first position, significantly altering the rally's competitive landscape. This shift saw overnight leader Adrien Fourmaux drop to third place, highlighting the unpredictable nature of gravel stages affected by heavy rainfall.
The early stages of the rally, particularly the morning's segments, were characterized by intense wet weather and extremely slippery surfaces. This played directly into the strengths of certain drivers. Ott Tanak, after overcoming an engine replacement following a retirement on Friday, demonstrated impressive pace by securing the fastest times in stages seven and eight. His performance allowed him to rapidly ascend the leaderboard, showcasing his resilience and speed.
Despite Tanak's initial surge, his progress was cut short as he made the decision to withdraw to the service park before completing stage nine. Meanwhile, Evans capitalized on the deteriorating conditions, moving up to second place by stage nine. He recorded the second-fastest time in stage seven, being only 1.4 seconds behind Tanak, but crucially outpaced the then-leader Fourmaux, along with Neuville, Ogier, and Pajari, who were all in contention.
Sebastien Ogier acknowledged his overly cautious approach during the seventh stage, where he lost considerable time. However, he rebounded in stage eight, setting a quicker pace than his rivals, although only marginally faster than Evans. As the rally progressed to the final stage of the morning, a mere 4.9 seconds separated the top four contenders, with Fourmaux narrowly maintaining a 0.9-second lead over Evans, and Neuville ahead of Ogier by 0.6 seconds, while Pajari trailed in fifth.
The final stage of the morning loop experienced slightly drier but still damp conditions, as sunlight replaced the earlier overcast skies. This change in weather proved pivotal, dramatically altering the leaderboard. Both Fourmaux and Neuville struggled significantly with a lack of grip on the slick roads, losing critical time. In contrast, Evans and Ogier skillfully navigated the conditions, making substantial gains.
Evans posted the second-fastest time in this crucial stage, finishing 10.2 seconds quicker than Fourmaux, who battled to find traction. This exceptional effort allowed Evans to reclaim the overall rally lead. Ogier also outperformed Fourmoux and Neuville, ascending from fourth to second place overall. Fourmaux commented on the difficult balance of his car due to worn rear tires but expressed satisfaction with his performance given the circumstances, anticipating more consistent conditions for all drivers in the afternoon.
Neuville attributed his time loss to managing his tires too aggressively and a brief excursion off-road, which caused him to fall to fourth position, just ahead of Pajari. Rovnapera secured a stage win, holding onto sixth place, which he had gained in stage eight after his teammate Takamoto Katsuta spun. Katsuta concluded the loop in eighth, behind M-Sport's Gregoire Munster, the only remaining Ford Puma after Josh McErlean and Alberto Heller retired with mechanical issues. Oliver Solberg continued to lead the WRC2 category by 29 seconds over Nikolay Gryazin, positioning himself for a maiden WRC2 title if he maintains his lead. The day's action was set to conclude with a second pass through these challenging stages.
The morning's events underscored the critical role of adaptability and precise driving in rallying, especially when faced with shifting weather conditions. Evans' strategic and skillful navigation through the wet and slippery stages not only propelled him into the lead but also demonstrated his capability to dominate when conditions are at their most demanding. The rally promises further excitement as competitors adjust their strategies for the remaining stages, with every second crucial in the pursuit of victory.