SS17: Evans edges towards victory

The Montim stage (8.75km) would be crucial. After Evans’s phenomenal pace in the opener, Sordo would need to respond quickly or the contest was in danger of slipping away from Hyundai. 

Fourmaux and Greensmith continued their tussle for fifth place: it was advantage the Briton in Montim and he reduced the Frenchman’s cushion to just nine-tenths of a second.

Sordo responded with a run of 5min 46sec to deprive Greensmith of a potential first ever WRC stage win but Evans was not to be denied and the Welshman won the stage by 1.4 seconds to extend his advantage over the Spaniard to 21.7 seconds.

WRC2 leader Lappi again got the better of Suninen and saw his lead grow to 1min 18sec, although the battle was now between Østberg and Gryazin for third. The Norwegian managed to increase the gap to 11.7 seconds with the fastest WRC2 time.