Thrilling World Championship showdown in Sardinia: Solberg wins – Evans is world champion

What a thriller: Elfyn Evans and his co-driver clinched the 2026 World Rally Championship drivers’ and co-drivers’ titles on the very last special stage. They benefited from Oliver Solberg’s misfortune, who had already been well on his way to securing the world title. Just two bends from the finish, the Swede skidded off the track. Although he managed to get back on the track quickly and finished the season’s final Power Stage in eighth place,

This meant he was confirmed as the winner of Rally Sardinia, but the Power Stage bonus points he missed out on allowed his British rival Evans to clinch the World Championship title.

Nach fünf Vize-Meisterschaften endlich Weltmeister: Elfyn Evans

Foto: Red Bull

Before the final special stage, Sassari-Argentiera 2, just one point separated the two title contenders in the battle for the championship: Solberg was leading the rally, whilst Evans was in fifth place.

Solberg was leading the Super Sunday standings, as Evans was unable to score any more points after a stop due to a puncture on the penultimate stage. Whichever of the two set the faster time on the Power Stage, which took place not far from the Argentiera coast on the Mediterranean, would clinch the World Championship.

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After his Power Stage run, Evans had all but written off the title. The Welshman admitted he had “driven too aggressively” on the Power Stage.

His rival Sami Pajari (Toyota), who had still been in theoretical contention for the World Championship before the rally, had been 2.2 seconds faster on the Power Stage, which was characterised by deep ruts and sand. This highlighted that Evans had not driven optimally on the 17th and final special stage.

Having taken many risks throughout the rally, Solberg found himself comfortably in the lead. It had previously seemed almost impossible that he would be able to overtake Evans, the World Championship leader, at the finish.

Solberg put his foot down spectacularly and was the fastest at the first split-time measurement. Although he couldn’t quite match the pace of Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), he was 1.9 seconds ahead of Evans with just 1.2 kilometres remaining.

The Monte Carlo Rally winner then crashed just two bends from the finish. He went into a severe skid in a fast left-hand bend, flew off the road and landed in the dunes not far from the finish line.

Surprisingly quickly, Solberg was able to return to the gravel track after his dramatic crash. With a lead of 57.6 seconds over the outgoing world champion Sébastien Ogier (Toyota), he still secured victory in the rally. However, as he finished the Power Stage nine seconds behind Evans, the world title went to Elfyn Evans.

“I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet. I was pretty sure that the world title was actually already lost. I didn’t drive today’s stage perfectly. I gave it my all, but I wasn’t faultless,” said Evans, the five-time world championship runner-up, offering a rather matter-of-fact assessment of his success.

“I feel sorry for Oliver, because he’s had an incredible weekend. It’s a shame for him that he lost the World Championship so close to the finish,” admitted the 37-year-old Briton.

“I must now thank the many people who have supported me over the years. The Toyota team have done an incredible job. I’m also very grateful to ‘Scotty’ for his incredible performances as my co-driver,” added Elfyn Evans.

A heartbroken Solberg sat in his car at the finish line after the World Championship title had slipped from his grasp just as the finish line came into view. He first had to be encouraged by Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala and Sébastien Ogier to even step onto the podium. The long-haired blond struggled to keep his emotions in check after missing out on his big goal by such a narrow margin.

Nine-time world champion Ogier had gone into the final day relaxed, on course for second place, and had kept his Yaris in the middle of the road to avoid punctures. The Frenchman secured second place, 39.8 seconds ahead of Toyota youngster Sami Pajari.

“I gave it absolutely everything on that final stage,” explained Pajari, who set the second-fastest time in the Power Stage and won Super Sunday following Solberg’s mistake. Pajari ends the year with three World Championship round victories and in third place in the overall standings, one point behind Solberg.

Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux had hoped to be in contention for his first victory in Sardinia. On the first day, the Frenchman was in the lead, but several punctures over two days dashed his hopes of a podium finish. He finished the rally in fourth place overall, well behind the three Toyotas ahead of him.

His team-mate Thierry Neuville won the spectacular Power Stage. The former world champion had led the rally on Friday, but then suffered a heavy crash on SS11 on Saturday and was forced to retire.

Evans rounded off the top five in this early season finale, ahead of Takamoto Katsuta in sixth place.

Jon Armstrong secured seventh place in the M-Sport Ford, the best result of his WRC career.

The final WRC2 battle of the season also provided a thrilling climax: Toyota driver Roope Korhonen held off Robert Virves (Škoda) by a margin of just 0.7 seconds to win the category. Gus Greensmith (Toyota) finished third in the junior category. The WRC2 drivers took eighth to tenth places in the overall standings.