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Elfyn Evans has secured his first World Rally Championship title following a dramatic conclusion to the Rally Italia Sardegna, where his main rival, Oliver Solberg, suffered a crash near the finish line. The 25-year-old Swedish driver was poised to overtake Evans on the final stage of the season’s last rally, but a mishap less than 100 metres from the end ended his bid. This result crowned Evans, the five-time runner-up, as world champion, marking the first time a British driver has claimed the WRC crown in 25 years.
Throughout the 2026 season, Evans and his co-driver Scott Martin consistently held the championship lead, entering the final round in Sardinia with a 21-point buffer. However, by the time the competitors prepared for the event’s last stage—the 17th of the rally—that advantage dwindled to just one point, intensifying the suspense and evoking memories of Evans’ previous narrow losses. Solberg needed only to finish ahead of his Toyota teammate in the last stage to accumulate sufficient bonus points to clinch the championship, but his crash dashed those hopes, enabling Evans to claim the title. In doing so, Evans became the third British driver to win the WRC championship, joining the ranks of Colin McRae (1995) and Richard Burns (2001).
Oliver Solberg, whose father Petter was crowned WRC champion in 2003, succeeded in winning the rally itself by almost a minute, followed closely by nine-time world champion Sebastien Ogier. Alongside English co-driver Elliott Edmondson, Solberg was on track to earn a maximum of 35 points during the weekend, which would have secured him the title by a slim two-point margin. Instead, due to his final-stage crash, Solberg ended the season five points behind Evans. Another Toyota driver, Sami Pajari, who also had a chance at the championship, concluded the season in third place, just a single point further behind.
Emotionally, Solberg lingered in his car after the crash, clearly distraught, before being persuaded to join the podium by his team principal, Jari-Matti Latvala, and teammate Ogier. “Two corners, two corners,” he reflected with visible emotion. “First congratulations to Elfyn, he has been very consistent all season. That I even had a shot after my rollercoaster of a season is incredible. I tried everything. I knew I was pushing but didn’t know if it was enough. I pushed even more and I couldn’t save the car. I tried my very best.” Evans, hailing from Dolgellau in north Wales, acknowledged the rollercoaster nature of his championship pursuit, having lost the lead on the final day in previous seasons. “I don’t really know what my reaction is. It’s surreal with how it happened. It’s a relief,” he said. “It wouldn’t be my proudest way of winning it, but it’s job done.” Toyota’s sporting director Kaj Lindstrom expressed mixed emotions about the finish, praising both drivers’ efforts but recognizing the dramatic ending was unexpected. “Oliver still has time but Elfyn finally got his title so we’re really happy for him,” Lindstrom commented
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