Just 2.2sec split the leading trio at 80th Rally Poland as Kalle Rovanperä seized the lead from Andreas Mikkelsen on Saturday .
The rally is being beamed live on KBC TV.
Defending world champion Rovanperä made a storming start to the first two stages on super-fast roads east of the rally’s Mikołajki base, collecting a brace of benchmark times to top the standings as Mikkelsen fell to third behind Rovanperä’s Toyota GR Yaris team-mate Evans.
But Hyundai i20 N driver Mikkelsen, who had led by 1.8sec overnight having reaped the rewards of cleaner road conditions than his rivals on Friday, fought back by winning in the morning’s finale at Czarne. He trailed Evans by just 2.1sec with Rovanperä a single tenth in front.
Rovanperä was never expected to be a serious victory threat on this rally. He was called upon at the final hour to replace Sébastien Ogier following an accident during reconnaissance and has had limited time to prepare for the event.
“We are happy to be at the end of the loop now,” he said. “With such little preparation, it is scary in fifth gear all the time!”
Mikkelsen admitted he left little on the table through SS11, adding: “I was flat-out. The pace is high and we are trying hard – it’s a good fight.”
M-Sport Ford driver Adrien Fourmaux remained fourth. While he trailed Mikkelsen by 13.5sec, the Puma driver managed to add more than 10sec to his buffer over fifth-placed Mārtiņš Sesks’ non-hybrid Puma.
Championship leader Thierry Neuville climbed from seventh to sixth in his Hyundai, overtaking M-Sport hotshot Grégoire Munster to claim the position. Neuville was tasked with opening the road in loose conditions on Friday and ended the morning almost 50sec adrift of the lead.
A lacklustre Takamoto Katsuta placed eighth while Sami Pajari continued to lead WRC2 as well as holding ninth overall. It was battle of previous FIA Junior WRC champions in the category as Pajari, the 2021 champion, headed 2023 winner Robert Virves.
Virves moved into the top 10 after local ace Kajetan Kajetanowicz, who had been second in WRC2 overnight, damaged a suspension arm in an impact on SS11.
