WITH the FIA World Rally Championship entering a crucial stage of the season, Dolgellau’s Elfyn Evans heads to Rally Finland determined to strengthen his title challenge when round 10 takes place from July 30 to August 2.

Widely regarded as the fastest event on the WRC calendar, Rally Finland is held on the spectacular gravel roads around Jyväskylä, the spiritual home of rallying. Its flowing forest stages, huge jumps and blind crests reward confidence and precision, making it one of the most demanding and revered events in world motorsport.

Evans arrives in Finland leading the drivers’ championship by 25 points and with an impressive record on Finnish roads.

The Toyota GAZOO Racing World Rally Team driver has won the event twice, in 2021 and 2023, making him one of only a handful of non-Finnish drivers to triumph there more than once.

With just five rounds remaining after Finland, another strong result could prove vital in his pursuit of a first world championship crown.

The Welshman will also benefit from Toyota’s formidable home advantage. Based in Jyväskylä, just three kilometres from the rally service park, Toyota has won seven of the eight editions of Rally Finland it has contested. Last year the manufacturer achieved a remarkable clean sweep of the top five positions, a feat accomplished only once before in WRC history.

Toyota arrives on home soil in exceptional form. Last week, Sami Pajari became the 17th Finnish driver to win a WRC round when he secured a breakthrough victory in Estonia. As a result, all five Toyota drivers have now won rallies during the 2025 season.

The Japanese manufacturer's strength is reflected in the championship standings, where its drivers occupy the top five positions. Evans leads the way, with team-mate Takamoto Katsuta sitting second. Katsuta, who developed as a rally driver through Toyota's WRC Challenge Program in Jyväskylä, has twice stood on the Rally Finland podium, finishing third in 2023 and second last year.

Pajari's maiden WRC victory elevated him to third in the standings, 33 points behind Evans. The Finn has shown promising pace at his home event in recent seasons, while nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier remains a significant threat in fourth place. Ogier is also a two-time Rally Finland winner, including last year's success. Oliver Solberg completes Toyota's five-car line-up after a strong runner-up finish in Estonia.

The 75th anniversary edition of Rally Finland begins on Thursday evening with the traditional Harju stage in central Jyväskylä. Friday features two loops of tests north-east of the city, including Laukaa, Saarikas, Sydänmaa and Hoho. Saturday brings a series of popular stages to the south-east before Sunday's finale, centred around the new-look Himos-Jämsa stage, the longest test of the rally at 30.02 kilometres.

Evans said: “Rally Finland is one of my favourite events on the calendar. It's an amazing sensation to drive these Rally1 cars on those roads, and in terms of pure driving thrills, nothing else beats it during the season.

“You need to find a good rhythm and a good feeling with the car to be competitive, but when everything is working well it gives you great confidence behind the wheel. I'm looking forward to it as always and hoping for conditions that allow us to be in the fight from the start of the weekend.”