Elfyn Evans heads for World Rally Championship decider

ELFYN Evans will head to Rally Italia Sardegna knowing he is just one strong result away from finally becoming FIA World Rally Champion.

The Dolgellau driver leads a Toyota clean sweep at the top of the standings heading into the 13th and final round of the 2026 World Rally Championship on October 1-4.

The title showdown was brought forward after Rally Saudi Arabia, originally scheduled for November, was removed from the calendar because of ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East and the logistical challenges affecting the event.

As a result, Sardinia will not only decide the drivers’ and co-drivers’ championships but will also mark the final WRC appearance of Toyota’s hugely successful GR YARIS Rally1 before new technical regulations arrive in 2027. The car has claimed 47 wins in five seasons, more than any model under previous regulations.

Toyota has already secured a record-equalling sixth successive manufacturers’ title following the previous round in Chile and is guaranteed to add the drivers’ crown, with its trio of Elfyn Evans, Sami Pajari and Oliver Solberg locked in a three-way battle.

Evans and co-driver Scott Martin hold the advantage. The Welshman leads the standings by 17 points from Pajari and by 21 from Solberg, with 35 points still available over the final weekend.

A championship triumph would be a fitting reward for Evans after seven seasons challenging for victories and title honours with Toyota. He has enjoyed another consistent campaign in 2026, winning in Sweden and Japan and leading the championship since the Canary Islands round in April.

Despite often having the disadvantage of opening the road on loose gravel rallies, Evans has continued to score heavily and arrives in Sardinia in the strongest position of his career to secure a long-awaited first world title.

His rivals, however, have mounted impressive breakthrough campaigns. Finland’s Pajari, 24, has emerged as a genuine contender in his second full Rally1 season. Alongside co-driver Marko Salminen, he made history by claiming maiden WRC victories in Estonia, Finland and Paraguay consecutively.

Solberg has also impressed. The Swede, who celebrated his 25th birthday on September 23, started his first full Toyota campaign with victory on Rallye Monte-Carlo and strengthened his title challenge with another win in Chile earlier this month alongside co-driver Elliott Edmondson.

Usually held in June, Rally Italia Sardegna moves to October for the first time since 2020. Cooler temperatures may ease conditions slightly, but the island’s rocky and abrasive stages are still expected to provide a stern test for tyres and machinery. The later date could also bring more unpredictable weather from the Mediterranean.

Based in Alghero on Sardinia’s north-west coast, the rally begins on Thursday evening with a super special stage at the nearby Ittiri rallycross circuit. Crews then tackle two demanding days featuring loops of stages around the island before Sunday’s finale, which concludes with the season-ending Power Stage at Sassari-Argentiera.

Evans said: “Our approach for Sardinia doesn’t change just because it’s the last rally of the season.

“We’ve worked hard to put ourselves in this position, holding on to the lead through a difficult run of gravel rallies.

“Sami and Oliver have been driving well and, with so many points still available, we know things will most likely remain open until the end.

“We just need to drive it like a normal rally and focus on doing the best job we can.”