Oliver Solberg has thrown Rally Italia Sardegna wide open, overtaking overnight leaders Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux to lead after Saturday morning's stages. The 25-year-old Swede now holds a 2.7-second advantage over Neuville, while Elfyn Evans sits sixth, 1 minute 57.7 seconds adrift of the new rally leader.
Evans entered the final round with a 17-point cushion in the championship, but current positions would slash that to just four points. Speaking after stage 10, Evans admitted his situation feels 'a bit out of my control,' citing road cleaning as a disadvantage. 'Not realistically going to catch anybody in front, got to stay clean for now.' Eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier remains third, with Fourmaux fourth and Sami Pajari fifth.
To secure his maiden WRC title, Evans needs 19 points from the maximum 35 available. Scenarios include finishing first, second with two bonus points, or third with four bonus points. Pajari must outscore Evans by 18 points while gaining four more than Solberg. Solberg, meanwhile, needs to score 22 points more than Evans to claim the crown.
The rally concludes Sunday with 13 remaining stages, including the Power Stage, where the 2026 World Rally champion will be decided.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing