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Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin have clinched the 2026 World Rally Championship title after finishing fifth overall at Rally Italia Sardegna and claiming third on the Power Stage, sealing the crown by a five-point margin.
The title fight came down to the wire in the dying seconds of the final stage, when Oliver Solberg slid off the road just three corners from the finish. The mistake left him down in eighth on the stage, costing him crucial bonus points after setting split times faster than Evans and looking well on course to secure the world championship.
Solberg still claimed victory at Rally Italia Sardegna, with fellow Toyota drivers Sébastien Ogier and Sami Pajari completing the podium.
Following a puncture for Evans on the penultimate stage, the gap between the two rivals in the virtual standings shrank to a single point. It turned the Power Stage into a winner-takes-all decider, with the title going to whichever driver finished higher.
“I tried and gave it everything I had on that last stage, but I felt like I pushed too hard and was sure my time wouldn't be enough,” explained Evans, who ended up 5.6 seconds behind stage winner Thierry Neuville (Hyundai). “I’ve been in Oliver’s shoes before, losing the world title right at the very end, so I know exactly what he is going through.”
Prior to today's triumph, Evans had suffered five season-finale heartbreaks in championship fights, having led the standings into the final round on three of those occasions.
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