Forget the postcard-perfect snowscapes and fleeting glimpses of reindeer. Rally Sweden 2025 delivered a far more compelling spectacle: Elfyn Evans’ stunning and unexpected domination. Evans came to SLAY, seizing every possible point throughout the weekend and playing a ‘full house’ that few saw coming. Was Evans on anyone’s podium prediction list? Definitely not! Most expected the Toyota Gazoo Racing team to lean on reigning champion Kalle Rovanperä’s expertise on the snow and ice. Here is how the quiet Welshman silenced his doubters and conquered the Swedish stages.

Rally Sweden’s Shakedown: Misdirection Before the Storm

So, why was Evans’ victory so unexpected? The spotlight was firmly fixed on Kalle Rovanperä, while Evans hadn’t secured a podium finish in Sweden since his breakthrough victory in 2020.

Secondly, the Hyundai team’s stars, Ott Tänak and Thierry Neuville, came out swinging, signaling their intent to challenge. Neuville topped the shakedown timesheets, while teammate Adrien Fourmaux even snatched fourth. Tänak, fresh off a blistering Monte Carlo shakedown, struggled to replicate that magic in Sweden, settling for third.

Rovanperä’s subdued 6th place in the shakedown hinted at the challenging conditions, but the real surprise came from M-Sport Ford’s rising star, Martins Sesks. Piloting the underdog Puma Rally1, Sesks snagged a shocking second place. With Evans a relatively unassuming 5th, few considered him a serious threat. We all wrote him off. Big mistake.

Thursday: Evans Strikes First!

As tradition dictates, Thursday delivered a single, treacherous stage near Umea. Picture this: the headlights sliced through the inky blackness, revealing a road like a frozen river, reflecting the frigid light in a blinding glare. 3.5km of ice-slicked road with the ever-present danger of hidden snowbanks promising a quick trip into a ditch for those too eager on the throttle. The stakes were high, and the grip was at a premium.

And the shocker? Seemingly unfazed by the conditions, Evans grabbed the lead immediately, edging out Kalle Rovanperä as second and Ott Tänak as third by the narrowest of margins. Did we believe that? Of course not, as we expected him to make a mistake soon.

But the real fireworks were set to explode on Friday, as the drivers would face the Andersvattnet stage, notorious for its unpredictable ice and hidden snowbanks.

Friday: The ‘Snowdrift Rally’ Takes Hold

Fueled by frustration and ambition, Tänak and Rovanperä unleashed the fury of Viking berserkers on Friday’s stages, determined to snatch the lead from Evans. But the Welshman stood firm. So, what threw a wrench in their plans?

Rovanperä, despite glimpses of his signature brilliance, found himself at odds with the new Hankook Winter Studded tires. The compound, engineered for maximum grip on ice, demanded a more finessed driving style, a departure from Rovanperä’s aggressive approach.

Tänak, always to mince words, grumbled that it was like a ‘snowdrift rally,’ constantly battling for grip. This elusive traction translated into precious lost time, hindering his ability to reel in Evans.

Meanwhile, Adrien Fourmaux, showcasing raw speed and precision, rocketed to third, then even second overall… before a tiny miscalculation turned his podium dreams into a snowbank nightmare.

The deceptively innocent-looking snowbanks held a dangerous secret: encased in ice, they became the ultimate time-sucking traps for the unwary. That same treacherous crossroad on SS5 Bygdsiljum, taken at breakneck speed, became Fourmaux’s personal nemesis. The drivers who treated those banks with the most respect (or, perhaps, got lucky) found themselves in contention.

Behind the leaders, Takamoto Katsuta quietly asserted himself, settling into a steady fourth, while Neuville struggled to find his rhythm, his Hyundai seemingly at odds with the slippery conditions of stages like Hof-Finnskog.

As the day drew to a close, three names emerged as the frontrunners: Katsuta, Tänak, and Evans, locked in a relentless battle for supremacy. But Evans, with steely determination, stubbornly clung to his overall lead.

Saturday and Evans Keeps Dominating

Determined to salvage his weekend, Rovanperä decided to go for broke, kicking off Saturday by snatching a Stage 9 Vännäs win. But Evans, smelling victory, wasn’t about to let the young Finn steal his thunder.

Fourmaux seemed poised for a career-best result, but disaster struck most unexpectedly. A loose helmet strap, a seemingly minor detail, became a main impediment. Forced to pull over mid-stage, the Frenchman wrestled with the strap, the seconds ticking away like a doomsday clock. The frantic roadside stop cost him 20 precious seconds and shattered his dreams of a 4th-place finish. Ouch.

Neuville finally found his groove, climbing to 3rd overall, but was still a hefty 10 seconds adrift of the real showdown: the epic battle between Katsuta and Evans. Tänak trailed in 4th, while Rovanperä languished in 5th, probably dreaming of a nice, warm sauna.

The afternoon stages brought a renewed sense of urgency to the competition. While Fourmaux, seeking redemption, stormed to victory on SS12 Vännäs, Tänak muscled past Neuville, and Evans stubbornly fortified his lead, relying on the expertly tuned GR Yaris Rally1 car’s dynamic suspension calibration. The Toyota engineers had optimized the snow-spec damper settings for Rally Sweden’s unique ice conditions, allowing for increased articulation and improved traction on the ever-changing surfaces.

However, there was no time for champagne wishes and caviar dreams, especially for Fourmaux. On SS13, the second loop on Sarsjöliden, disaster struck: a dramatic crash buried his car in a snowbank, and his hopes for a fairytale ending. Rallying, as always, delivers the drama that no one expected!   

More drama followed with Evans on SS15 Umea, his GR Yaris Rally1 seemingly deciding to take an unscheduled nap. The engine sputtered, coughed, and died mid-stage, costing him precious seconds and breathing new life into Katsuta’s challenge. In those heart-stopping moments, the leading was at its most fragile point.

They finished the day just 3 seconds apart, a mere whisper separating them after three grueling days of rallying. With the pressure mounting to an unbearable level, could Evans silence the demons of past disappointments and find the inner fire needed to fend off his charging teammate and claim victory?

Sunday’s Finale

Katsuta entered the final day with a tantalizing prospect: his first-ever WRC win – a blend of anticipation and the icy air of the Swedish forests. The Japanese rally driver kicked off the final day by narrowly winning SS16, proving that the battle was continued.

But Evans, displaying the composure of a seasoned veteran, wasn’t about to let it slip away. He fired back on SS17 Västervik, finding an extra pull and extending his lead to a nail-biting 3.7 seconds.

Behind them, Neuville cemented his third-place position while Tänak remained stuck in fourth. Rovanperä finished in 5th place, a disappointing result after his earlier struggles.

However, the tension was so high it could cut glass. The real showdown was at the Power Stage.

Power Stage: The Final Showdown

Evans’ mental game on the Power Stage was more challenging than navigating an icy hairpin turn at midnight. He had to walk that razor’s edge between pushing for maximum points and protecting his hard-won lead.

That 3.7-second gap represented a significant advantage over the 8.62-kilometer Power Stage, but a single mistake could still prove costly.

However, Evans set the fastest time, edging out Katsuta by a mere 0.1 seconds, snagging the maximum 35 points and proving that he wasn’t messing around. He left the competition in the snow, proving that sometimes, the quietest players hold all the cards. Full house, indeed!

Taka accepted second place with good sportsmanship. Neuville cruised to a solid third-place finish at the end of the rally, while Tänak, who started so strong, had to settle for fourth.

Kalle Rovanperä crossed the line in fifth overall, salvaging some pride with the fourth-fastest time on the Power Stage. Fourmaux, after his earlier snowbank adventure, limped home, earning a single, solitary point (which probably didn’t make him feel much better).

Martins Sesks, in his debut WRC outing of 2025, took a respectable sixth place, becoming the fastest representative of Malcolm Wilson’s M-Sport Ford squad. He left teammates Grégoire Munster (who finished ninth) and Josh McErlean (who lost a comical 49 minutes on Sunday’s first stage) in his snowy wake. Sami Pajari, driving another Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, also trailed behind Sesks, finishing the race in seventh.

WRC Rally Sweden 2025 Results

WRC DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP after Rally Sweden

What the WRC Rally Sweden 2025 Was Like?

Like driving on a constant snowy drift, Rally Sweden 2025 reminded us that nothing is guaranteed in the WRC. Beyond the postcard-perfect scenery, this rally delivered unexpected twists and fierce battles.

Elfyn Evans emerged as a force to be reckoned with, proving that determination can be as powerful as speed. Despite Toyota’s well-known ‘no team orders’ policy – which, according to team principal Jari-Matti Latvala, created palpable tension within the garage – the intense battle with Katsuta ultimately solidified Evans’ position and fueled his championship aspirations.

One of the biggest surprises was Hyundai’s relatively subdued performance. Despite a promising start, their best result was a lone third-place finish, a disappointing outcome considering the talent within their ranks.

The new Hankook tires also presented a unique challenge, particularly for Rovanperä, raising questions about whether this will be a season of adaptation and recalibration for the young champion.

Now, the FIA World Rally championship shifts its focus from the icy landscapes of Sweden to the harsh, unforgiving terrain of the Safari Rally Africa, beginning on March 20th. The Safari will be a brutal crucible for drivers’ sanity and Hankook tires. After mixed results on the asphalt of Monte Carlo and the snow of Sweden, can Hankook conquer the punishing gravel and extreme conditions of the African wilderness?