Evans wins first WRC crown after Solberg's final-stage crash in Sardinia

Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin clinched the World Rally Championship title on 4 October 2026 when rival Oliver Solberg crashed on the final stage of the Rally Italia Sardegna, handing Evans the championship after a dramatic finish. Solberg hit trouble with less than 100 metres to go, allowing Evans — the first British world champion in 25 years — to secure the crown.

Evans had been a five-time runner-up before claiming the 2026 title and won only two of the 13 rounds contested this season. He and Martin led much of the campaign and had taken a 21-point advantage into the final round, but that lead had been reduced to a solitary point by the time competitors lined up for the last of 17 stages. Evans had missed out on the title on the final day three times previously and twice lost leads taken into the concluding rally to Sebastien Ogier in 2020 and 2025.

Solberg, 25, was on course to overturn Evans’s margin on the final stage and needed only to beat his Toyota team-mate in that run to collect the bonuses required to become champion. He and English co-driver Elliott Edmondson were on track to take a maximum 35 points for the weekend and win the title by two points, but Solberg crashed two corners from the finish and consequently ended the season five points behind Evans.

Solberg nonetheless won the Rally Italia Sardegna by almost a minute, finishing 3 hours 24 minutes 57.0 seconds, with nine-time world champion Sebastien Ogier second, +57.6 secs, and Sami Pajari third, +1min 37.4 secs. An inconsolable Solberg remained in his car for some time at the end of the stage before being encouraged to take to the podium by Gazoo Racing team principal Jari-Matti Latvala and team-mate Ogier.

Evans expressed shock and sympathy: "It hasn't sunk in," he said. "I was sure it was over. I feel for Oliver, he had an incredible weekend. I don't know what to say." He later added: "I don't really know what my reaction is. It's surreal with how it happened. It's a relief," and: "It wouldn't by my proudest way of winning it, but it's job done."

Toyota sporting director Kaj Lindstrom gave his assessment of the ending: "That was the hardest thing. The ending was quite something, I didn't expect it," said the Finn. "It was a good fight and we all saw that Oliver was all or nothing. It held all the way to the end. "Oliver still has time but Elfyn finally got his title so we're really happy for him." Sami Pajari finished a further one point behind Solberg in third in the championship.

Rally Italia Sardegna also marked the end of Jon Armstrong's rookie season at the top level, with the M-Sport Ford driver producing his best result of the year by finishing seventh. "It's been good to have a clean weekend with a strong result," Armstrong said. "It's not been an easy year and this was a rally to show we can put it together. A big thanks to everyone who has been supporting us, it's been a great year and it's been a privilege to drive this car." Team-mate Josh McErlean ran as high as sixth on Saturday before retiring after a collision with a tree, later stopping twice on Sunday and finishing well off the pace but claiming ninth spot in the championship.

Final classifications for the rally were: 1. Oliver Solberg (Sweden), Toyota, 3 hours 24 minutes 57.0 seconds; 2. Sebastien Ogier (France), Toyota, +57.6 secs; 3. Sami Pajari (Finland), Toyota, +1min 37.4 secs; 4. Adrien Formaux (France), Hyundai, +2min 38.6 secs; 5. Elfyn Evans (Great Britain), Toyota, +4min 48.1 secs; 6. Takamoto Katsuta (Japan), Toyota, +6min 02.4 secs; 7. Jon Armstrong (Ireland), Ford, +7min 32.2 secs; 10. Gus Greensmith (Great Britain), Toyota, +13 mins 02.2 secs; 22. Josh McErlean (Ireland), Ford, +47min 28.5 secs.

The final drivers' championship standings read: 1. Elfyn Evans (Great Britain), Toyota, 243 points; 2. Oliver Solberg (Sweden), Toyota, 238; 3. Sami Pajari (Finland), Toyota, 237; 4. Sebastien Ogier (France), Toyota, 189; 5. Adrien Formaux (France), Hyundai, 183; 6. Takamoto Katsuta (Japan), Toyota, 175; 7. Thierry Neuville (Belgium), Hyundai, 134; 9. Josh McErlean (Ireland), Ford, 35; 12. Jon Armstrong (Ireland), Ford, 22; 15. Gus Greensmith (Great Britain), Toyota, 14.

The WRC season had been reduced to 13 rounds after the Saudi Arabia event was cancelled because of the ongoing unrest in the Middle East, and Evans's 243 points secured him the championship ahead of Solberg (238) and Pajari (237).