Elfyn Evans extended his lead in his quest for a first World Rally Championship (WRC) title despite finishing sixth at the Delfi Rally Estonia.

Sami Pajari achieved his maiden win alongside co-driver Marko Salminen, propelling him to third in the rankings. Evans, partnered with Scott Martin, finished just over two minutes behind Pajari after completing the 18 stages that commenced on Friday.

Despite a 21st-place finish, Japan's Takamoto Katsuta maintained his hold on second spot in the title standings, while Evans gained eight points, establishing a 15-point lead over his nearest rival.

The top finishes in Estonia were as follows:

• Oliver Sojberg (Sweden) and co-driver Elliott Edmondson secured second place.
• Adran Formaux (France) took third.
• Thierry Neuville (Belgium) finished fourth.
• Sebastien Ogier (France) rounded out the top five.

Motorsport Ireland’s Jon Armstrong finished in ninth, but fellow countryman Josh McErlean ended the event in 43rd, following his best-ever fourth place in Greece during the last round.

The teams now turn their attention to the remaining five rallies, with the next event set to take place in Finland from 30 July to 2 August, crucial for determining the eventual 2026 champion.