Elfyn Evans is in major trouble at Secto Rally Finland as a transmission problem dropped him to fifth.
Evans had started Saturday within 10s of the rally lead and just 0.6s ahead of team-mate Sébastien Ogier in third. He extended that advantage to 3.5s on Västilä – despite a “scrappy” run where he did run perilously close to disaster by dipping his rear wheels off the edge of the road.
But real disaster struck on SS12 Päijälä. The Welshman had been setting strong pace through the early splits but suddenly at a square-left junction the revs built up and his GR Yaris Rally1 spun around.
Immediately co-driver Scott Martin suspected it was a broken driveshaft but the pair were able to continue – albeit at a reduced pace.
Dropping over a minute, second place – and important World Rally Championship points – are long gone, but more worrying Evans still has Ouninpohja to negotiate before service.
“We have some issue, we’re going to have to go and check what,” Evans said.
Asked if he had any idea what, he added: “Transmission.”
