World Rally Championship: Elfyn Evans’ lead cut as Sebastien Ogier sets Rally Italia record

Ogier’s victory was his third of the season and came 12 months after losing out to Tanak by 0.2 seconds following a heartbreaking final-stage puncture in this event.

He also had a scare on Sunday’s finale, when an overshoot in the final kilometres slashed his lead over the Estonian from 17.2s to 7.9s.

“In the ruts, I just couldn’t turn the car,” said Ogier.

“There was no speed at all, so I didn’t try to force it and hit it, I preferred to stop and reverse.

“Yeah, not ideal, still, it was enough to win.”

Evans once again found the gravel roads tough on the opening day, as he did in Portugal last month.

He never challenged for overall victory and also lost time on the top three when he punctured on Saturday’s stage 11, though ironically he gained a place to fourth with Toyota team-mate Sami Pajari taking even longer over a wheel change.

Josh McErlean’s Rally Italia was over almost before it started. He was one of six drivers caught out by the newly introduced Telti – Calangianus – Berchidda loop, ripping the entire rear-left corner off his M-Sport Ford Puma on stage two.

The Northern Irish driver was forced to retire with suspension damage before restarting, out of contention, on Saturday and finishing 11th in class.

He remains 10th overall.

The drivers face similar conditions in round seven of the 14-event series, with more gravel stages in Acropolis Rally Greece from 26 to 29 June.