Estonia’s Ott Tanak finished 10th as he dropped to fourth in the title race while conceding top spot to Evans, who had been knocked off top spot by the 2019 champion at Rally Estonia in July.
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Josh McErlean matched his best WRC result in Finland.
It was a strong performance by the 26-year-old from Northern Ireland, who blended flashes of speed with consistency, as McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy were the best-ranked M-Sport Ford driver.
“It’s such a special place to equal our best result for the season,” said McErlean, who is his first season in the WRC.
“It’s the most incredible rally, the most incredible speeds and most incredible experience”.
It was a strong weekend for Northern Irish and Irish crews, as Aaron Johnston navigated Katsuta to second.
In the Junior WRC, Donegal’s Eamonn Kelly and co-driver Conor Mohan claimed their first victory of the season ahead of championship leader Taylor Gill.
