Elfyn Evans Wins First WRC Title After Oliver Solberg Crashes on Final Stage

Title decider in Sardinia

Toyota driver Elfyn Evans secured his first World Rally Championship title on Sunday at Rally Italia Sardegna after title rival Oliver Solberg crashed in the closing metres of the final stage. Solberg, driving for the same manufacturer, entered the final 7.1-kilometre Power Stage in Argentiera needing only to outpace Evans on the stage to secure sufficient bonus points for the championship. The 25-year-old Swedish driver was leading the rally and outrunning Evans through each intermediate split time on the gravel and sand route descending toward the Mediterranean. However, Solberg slid off track in the penultimate corner, less than 100 metres from the flying finish banner.

Evans expressed his shock at the outcome directly after completing the test.

I was sure it was over. I feel for Oliver, he had an incredible weekend. I don't know what to say.

Championship standings and weekend swing

Evans arrived in Italy holding 230 points, carrying a 17-point lead over Finnish teammate Sami Pajari on 213 points and a 21-point advantage over Solberg on 209 points. The 2026 season was capped at 13 rounds after the cancellation of the planned rally in Saudi Arabia shortened the calendar. A maximum of 35 points remained available in Sardinia, divided into 25 points for the general classification, five points for the Super Sunday standings, and five points for the Power Stage. Evans maintained a cautious fifth position through Friday and Saturday while Solberg led the rally overall. A puncture in the penultimate 16th stage cost Evans crucial time and dropped him out of the Super Sunday points, slashing his championship margin over Solberg to one point before the final stage. After Solberg went off the road, Evans secured fifth in the rally to finish with 243 points, five points ahead of Solberg on 238 points and six ahead of Pajari on 237 points.

Evans ends five-year runner-up streak

The victory marks the first world title for the 37-year-old Welsh driver and his English co-driver Scott Martin across twelve seasons in the WRC. Evans had previously finished as runner-up in five world championships (2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025), falling short by four points to Sébastien Ogier in the 2025 finale. The result makes Evans the first Welsh driver to win the World Rally Championship and only the third British driver to do so, following Colin McRae in 1997 and Richard Burns in 2001.

Standing at the finish, Evans acknowledged that the reality of the championship had not yet registered.

It hasn't sunk in.

Rally classification and technical milestones

Behind Evans, the event recorded several statistical milestones across the field. Nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier finished second overall in Sardinia, marking his 214th career WRC start and his 121st podium finish, both category records. Fellow French driver Adrien Fourmaux placed fourth for Hyundai after two punctures dropped him from second place earlier in the weekend. The rally in Sardinia also concluded competition under the Rally1 technical regulations, which had served as the championship's top-tier vehicle specification.