Overview
- Toyota’s Sami Pajari moved into the rally lead after Elfyn Evans went off on stage three, holding an 8.4-second gap to Takamoto Katsuta with Thierry Neuville a further three tenths back.
- Oliver Solberg retired on the opening test after clipping a bank 4.8 km into Vodice–Brest, spinning 360 degrees and getting stuck off the road as spectators tried to help.
- Evans had won the first two stages to build a 15.9-second cushion before misjudging a right-hander at high speed, with him and co-driver Scott Martin unhurt.
- Tyre choice and punctures reshaped the order, as M‑Sport’s soft-compound call boosted Jon Armstrong early while a front-right puncture cost Adrien Fourmaux more than a minute.
- Armstrong later stopped after hitting a bank when down to one spare wheel, which promoted Hyundai’s Hayden Paddon to fourth and M‑Sport’s Josh McErlean to fifth.