Oliver Solberg heads into the World Rally Championship finale a single point behind Elfyn Evans, following a day of upheavals in Rally Italia Sardinia.
Solberg pushes ahead amid title rivals’ misfortunes
Solberg’s 33.6‑second margin over Sébastien Ogier shrank to six points behind Evans after Thierry Neuville retired following a left‑rear wheel loss in stage 11. Evens’ provisional rally lead over Solberg rose to eight points, while Sami Pajari settled in third, 1 minute 39.9 seconds behind the leaders.
Neglecting risk, Solberg chose a conservative strategy after stage 11, ensuring a safe finish that sustained his three‑minute advantage over Ogier.
Evans’ five‑position slip and Fourmaux’s tumble
With only a 4.7‑second gap, Evans accelerated in the final stage, opting to hold fifth overall. A puncture forced Adrien Fourmaux to change tyres in stage 12, losing 1 minute 46.12 seconds and falling to fifth, behind Pajari and Evans.
Fourmaux, who had begun Saturday 0.4 seconds from the lead, described his tyre management as challenging but noted the pace was sufficient for a podium if the lap times improved.
Remaining Sunday stages shape championship finale
Elfyn Evans remains eight points ahead of Solberg heading Sunday, while Pajari is 12 points behind Evans after his climb to third. Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta finished sixth after a steering issue forced M‑Sport‑Ford’s Martins Sesks to retire early.
Four Sunday stages will now determine the new World Rally Champion, with drivers poised to chase records against a backdrop of sudden retirements and strategic recalibrations.
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