Evans leads tight Monte Carlo rally ahead of Sunday's finale

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SHOWS: VARIOUS, FRANCE (JANUARY 25, 2020) (WRC - SEE RESTRICTIONS)

1. AERIAL OF ELFYN EVANS (33, TOYOTA YARIS)

2. ON-BOARD WITH EVANS

3. AERIAL OF EVANS, HE GOES INTO DITCH

4. ON-BOARD WITH EVANS (POINT-OF-VIEW THROUGH WINDSCREEN) AS HE DRIVES BACK ONTO ROAD

5. ON-BOARD WITH EVANS

6. ON-BOARD WITH EVANS (POINT-OF-VIEW THROUGH WINDCREEN)

7. AERIAL OF SEBASTIEN OGIER (17, TOYOTA YARIS)

8. ON-BOARD WITH OGIER AND HIS CO-DRIVER JULIEN INGRASSIA

9. ON-BOARD WITH OGIER (POINT OF VIEW THROUGH WINDSCREEN)

10. OGIER

11. AERIAL OF THIERRY NEUVILLE (11, HYUNDAI I20)

12. NEUVILLE

13. ON-BOARD WITH SEBASTIEN LOEB (9, HYUNDAI I20)

14. ON-BOARD WITH LOEB (POINT-OF-VIEW THROUGH WINDSCREEN), HE SPINS AND CONTINUES ON ROAD

STORY: The season-opening Monte Carlo rally was set for a nail-biting finale after leader Elfyn Evans, France's Sebastien Ogier and Belgian Thierry Neuville were all within 6.4 seconds of each other at the end of Saturday's (January 25) third leg.

Six-times world champion Ogier and his Toyota team mate Evans were tied at the top after the 11th stage but the French driver lost 4.9 seconds to the Welshman in the 12th.

Neuville won the final two stages on Saturday in his Hyundai to end up 1.5 seconds behind Ogier with four stages left on Sunday (January 26).

Sebastien Loeb of France, who spun his Hyundai on the 12th stage, was in fourth place, 2 minutes, 24.3 seconds behind Evans.

Should he maintain his lead, Evans would win his second rally after prevailing at the 2017 Wales Rally.