Sébastien Ogier has provisionally overtaken championship leader Elfyn Evans in the World Rally Championship standings after a demanding first full day of the Saudi Arabian Rally, while Adrien Fourmaux holds an unexpected lead in the event itself.
The French veteran, seeking a record-equaling ninth world title, currently sits seventh overall in his Toyota Yaris. This places him 41.1 seconds ahead of his main championship rival, Evans, who struggled significantly.
Evans, driving another Toyota Yaris, finished Friday’s stages in ninth place. He started the rally with a three-point lead but now trails Ogier by one provisional point.
“We have done a good job but my main objective is Elfyn [Evans] and Kalle [Rovanperä],” Ogier stated. “From that point of view, we did what we had to do, as we are ahead of them.”
Meanwhile, Adrien Fourmaux of France leads the rally outright in his Hyundai i20 Coupe. He completed the day’s seven special stages in 1 hour, 18 minutes, 45.3 seconds.
Fourmaux holds a six-second advantage over Finland’s Sami Pajari in a Toyota Yaris. Latvia’s Martin Sesks in a Ford Puma is just 6.9 seconds behind in third.
The challenging desert terrain of Saudi Arabia took its toll on several contenders. Both Pajari and Sesks briefly held the lead before suffering punctures that cost them time.
Kalle Rovanperä, the third driver mathematically in contention for the WRC title, also experienced difficulties. The Finnish driver suffered two punctures, finishing the day in eighth place, 37 seconds behind Ogier.
Fourmaux expressed satisfaction with his performance. “I am very satisfied with the day,” he said, emphasizing the balance between speed and vehicle preservation.
“I could push harder and gain a bit more time, but it’s always about finding the balance between attacking and saving the car and tires,” Fourmaux added. “Road position is important here and I’m happy to have a good starting position for tomorrow.”
The rally continues Saturday with six more timed sections. Competitors will tackle an additional 142 kilometers of special stages.
For Saturday’s racing, Evans will start fourth on the road, followed by Rovanperä in fifth. Ogier will begin in sixth position.
Ogier is aiming to equal the record of nine WRC titles held by his compatriot Sébastien Loeb, who dominated the sport from 2004 to 2012. Evans has been a four-time WRC runner-up.