Rallying-Evans Leads Three-Way Battle as New Champion Set to Be Crowned in Sardinia
Evans leads Pajari and Solberg by 17 points, and 35 points remain available as Sardinia’s rough gravel stages decide a first-time champion.
- On Sunday, October 4, 2026, Elfyn Evans secured his maiden World Rally Championship title in Sardinia after finishing fifth, clinching the crown when rival Oliver Solberg crashed two corners from the finish on the final stage.
- Evans entered the season finale leading rivals Sami Pajari and Solberg by 17 and 21 points respectively, facing a disadvantage as first car on the road sweeping loose gravel while Toyota clinched its record-equalling 10th manufacturers' championship.
- Organizers implemented four-minute gaps between vehicles to combat hanging dust that hampered visibility on Sardinia's rough gravel. Evans suffered a crucial puncture on stage 16 that narrowed his championship lead to one point heading into the final stage.
- Crashing two corners from the finish, Solberg handed the title to Evans, who became the first British World Rally Champion since 2001. "It hasn't sunk in," said Evans after the dramatic finale.
- The season finale marked the last competitive appearance of current-generation Rally1 machinery before new technical regulations take effect in 2027, closing a five-year chapter in the sport. Evans' victory concludes the era as motorsport prepares for a technical reset.
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Observador
The British rider Elfyn Evans (Toyota Yaris) was awarded this Sunday World Rally Champion for the first time, despite the fifth place in the Italian rally, the final test of the season. Evans finished at 448.1 minutes of the winner, the Swedish Oliver Solberg (Toyota Yaris), who beat Frenchman Sébastien Ogier (Toyota Yaris) for 57.6 seconds, with Finnishman Sami Pajari (Toyota Yaris) third, at 1.37,4 minutes. Solberg entered the final special at…
Drama in Sardinia: a mistake by a young Swede opened the door for Welshman Elfyn Evans to his first rally victory.
The one running for the same team as the Frenchman, Toyota, ended the suspense on Sunday during the last WRC round of the season in Sardinia.
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