This is the Welsh driver’s second victory in 7 rounds, his third in Japan, and also his 50th podium finish in his career.
Defending champion Sébastien Ogier finished second, 12.8 seconds behind, with Samy Bayari third and Katsutta fourth, with Toyota taking the top four positions in the race, which was held on its home turf on the asphalt roads around Aichi and Gifu.
“There is still a long way to go in the championship,” said Evans, who now has 151 points ahead of Japan’s Katsuta, who has 131 points, and Toyota’s Swedish Oliver Solberg, who has 102 points. “It’s too early to talk about (winning the title), but we just have to enjoy this win.”
Toyota occupied the top five places in the world championship standings, with Payari occupying fourth place with 96 points and Oger occupying fifth place with 90 points.
Evans led the race since the second stage last Friday morning, and Solberg was his closest competitor until the Swedish driver suffered an accident yesterday, Saturday.
Solberg returned on the final day and made up some points by winning the final “Power Stage” stage and topping the standings today.
Ogier, the nine-times world champion who lost time on Friday, rose to second on Saturday but was unable to close the gap as Evans took control.
Frenchman Adrian Fourmeaux from the Hyundai team ranked fifth behind Toyota cars, his Belgian teammate Thierry Neuville came in sixth place and New Zealander Hayden Paddon came in seventh place.
John Armstrong of the M-Sport Ford team was eighth, while Lancia WRC 2 driver Nikolai Griesen was ninth, and Josh McErlin of the M-Sport team completed the top ten.
The next stop will be the Acropolis Rally in Greece from June 25 to 28, where the championship will move from asphalt to gravel. (Erm News)
