Evans’ WRC lead trimmed as Ogier wins in Portugal

Sebastien Ogier won the Rally de Portugal for the seventh time, reducing Elfyn Evans’ lead in the World Rally Championship (WRC) standings.

Welshman Evans, 36, was only able to finish sixth, more than two minutes behind Ott Tanak, the Hyundai driver, in the lead with his second victory of the season.

The British driver had entered the tarmac on Thursday, but the British driver was unable to pass the gravel stages until Friday.

Late last weekend, a change in driving style caused some improvement, but Kalle Rovanpera’s third place reduced the Finn’s championship overall deficit from 43 points to 30 behind his GR Yaris Rally1 team-mate.

It’s obvious that this weekend wasn’t easy, Evans said.

“Friday was difficult, but I think we made it a little harder on ourselves with the speed we showed from midday on Friday.”

Tanak is only two points back of Tanak in the standings in Portugal, which means he is eight times world champion.

After surging back from falling more than 30 seconds after a power steering issue on Saturday, the Estonian won 12 of the 24 stages, including the final five.

His 65th rally victory extends his own record for victories at Rally de Portugal, bringing it five wins from five for Toyota in 2025.

Ogier, a 41-year-old man, said, “I can be proud of it because I can stay competitive after all these years.”

Ott was simply flying like a madman, perhaps a little too much, I suppose.

“So I believe that we once more demonstrated that race management is a skill that we possess,”

Takamoto Katsuta, a Toyota Yaris driver, and Aaron Johnston, a co-driver in Ireland, placed fifth, while Josh McErlean, a Northern Irish driver, placed eighth, up from 12th in the championship standings.

In round six of the 14-event series, which includes the Rally Italia Sardegna from 5 to 8 June, the drivers will have to contend with more sun-soaked gravel roads.

1. Toyota, 3 hours, 48 minutes, 35 seconds, Sebastien Ogier (France),

2. Ott Tanak (Estonia), Hyundai, + 8.7secs

3. Toyota, Finland’s Kare Rovanpera, + 12.2 seconds

4. Hyundai, + 38. 5 seconds Thierry Neuville (Belgium).

5. Takamoto Katsuta (Japan), Toyota, + 1min 41.9secs

6. Toyota’s Alfalfa Evans (Great Britain), + 2 minutes 31 seconds

7. Sami Pajari (Finland), Toyota, + 2min 38.3secs

1. Toyota’s Elfyn Evans (Great Britain), 118 points

2. Toyota, 88, Kolla Rovanpera (Finland).

3. Toyota, Sebastien Ogier (France), 86

4. Hyundai, 84, Ott Tanak (Estonia),

5. Hyundai, 78, Thierry Neuville (Belgium).

6. Toyota, 51, Takamoto Katsuta (Japan).

10. Ford, 12th grader Josh McErlean (Ireland).

11. Skoda, 8th grader, Gus Greensmith (Great Britain).