Rallying-Evans Leads Three-Way Battle as New Champion Set to Be Crowned in Sardinia
Evans leads Pajari by 17 points and Solberg by 21, with 35 points still available in a first-time champion showdown.
- On Friday, October 2, 2026, Rally Italy Sardinia commenced in Alghero, launching a decisive three-way World Rally Championship title showdown between Toyota teammates Elfyn Evans, Sami Pajari, and Oliver Solberg.
- Championship leader Evans holds a 17-point advantage over Pajari and a 21-point lead over Solberg; with 35 maximum points available, Evans needs 19 points to guarantee his maiden world title.
- Sweeping loose gravel as the first car on the road, Evans faces a significant disadvantage, while drivers requested increased time gaps to mitigate visibility risks from hanging dust.
- After Friday's opening leg, Hyundai's Thierry Neuville secured the rally lead by 0.4 seconds, while Solberg impressed in third place, Pajari fourth, and Evans sixth overall.
- The season finale marks the last competitive appearance for current Rally1 machinery before 2027 regulation changes, with the championship to be decided Sunday on the Sassari-Argentiera Wolf Power Stage.
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On Saturday, Oliver Solberg took the lead in the Sardinian rally and put pressure on Elfyn Evans, World Championship leader.
A crash for Thierry Neuville in the Italian World Rally Championship has reduced Oliver Solberg's chances of winning World Championship gold. But the dream of becoming the first Swedish world champion in over 40 years is alive ahead of the finale.
The World Rally Championship battle will culminate in Sardinia this weekend.
One of the three aspirants to the throne, the Swedish Oliver Solberg (Toyota GR Yaris), leads the Rally Italia-Sardinia, the final round of the championship and in which the world title is decided, by marking the best time in the superspecial opening, in which the other three candidates and teammates, the British ... Continue reading "Solberg leads first day of the Rally Italia-Sardinia: Swedish plays WRC title with Evans and Pajari"
The 2019 FIA World Rally Championship season ends this week with the Rally Sardinia. Oliver Solberg (Toyota), who is chasing his first World Rally Championship title, won the first stage held on Thursday evening.
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