WRC Rally Italy: What Evans, Pajari and Solberg need in Sardinia

The fight for the 2026 World Rally Championship is set to go down to the wire with Toyota trio Elfyn Evans, Sami Pajari and Oliver Solberg all in contention to claim a maiden title in Sardinia. On paper championship leader Evans is the favourite given his 17-point lead over Pajari with Solberg only four points further back with 35 points to play for. However, Evans will need to score 19 points or more to guarantee the title regardless of Pajari or Solberg’s results.

It’s not a simple task as Sardinia’s notoriously challenging rough gravel stages have proved time and time again that nothing is guaranteed on the Italian island.

Here are the key talking points ahead of this weekend’s 17-stage title decider.

Evans maintains anything can happen

Elfyn Evans, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

The championship leader may have the points advantage but the five-time championship runner-up maintains that he still faces a difficult task ahead to claim rallying’s ultimate prize.

Starting first on the road, Evans expects the road cleaning effect to be particularly challenging given the much looser road surface compared to previous years. The Welshman has pinpointed that it will be important to drive clean to limit the damage to his rivals Pajari and Solberg, who will start second and third on the road respectively on Friday.

“I think it is going to be a tough job with the road position actually to keep touch with the guys behind. You never know how things are going to work out here, so you have to do as good a job as you can to begin with at least," said Evans.

"It looks like the repairs [to the roads] have been very recent, and there's been no rain since, so the top layer seems very soft and very loose. We expect quite a bit of road evolution, but let's see how it all plays out.

“We have to try our best to do that. Obviously, there might be circumstances over the weekend where we have to change [the approach] a little bit. But anyway, for the first part of the event, I think it's important to drive well and clean, and then see what comes.

“It's still a fight. Some people might say it's a big gap. It is to a point, but of course there's a lot of points now also on offer.”

Pajari: Maybe this is the best title chance I will get

Sami Pajari, Marko Salminen, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

At the start of 2026 few would have predicted that Pajari would be involved in a title fight in only his second full season in the WRC’s top tier.

However, the Finn has enjoyed a standout season and heads into Sardinia as the driver with the most wins (Estonia, Finland, Paraguay) and podium finishes (8) of any of his rivals this year.

Given his 17-point deficit in the title race, the 24-year-old admits the pressure is on his more experienced team-mate Evans but is not prepared to let any opportunities slip in Sardinia.

"We just need to do the best we can, and then we will find out on Sunday who has the most points. In a way, Elfyn has much more to lose. So maybe in his position, the pressure would be even higher.

“But in my case, we just need to do a great rally again and collect the points we can, and then we see where we end up.

“Maybe it [the title tilt] was something not many people saw really, really coming. But in a way, I feel like the work we have put together for many, many years has prepared us to be in this position, and I still feel like we are where we should be.

“Maybe I have a bright future, but you never know. Maybe it's the best chance I will ever get. So I need to try to use it.”

Solberg has nothing to lose in title fight

Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Sitting 21 points behind Evans, the target in the eyes of Solberg is clear. A perfect 35-point haul from the final round is likely to put the Swede firmly in the hunt to snatch the title away from Evans.

“For the title, I have nothing to lose. But again, I need to win the rally, take 35 points to give myself a chance. I think if I score 35 points, then 100% it is very possible. Because then, if he’s [Evans] is fourth or fifth, then I win. It depends how many Sunday points he has. But then it's very possible. So the plan is clear what I have to do. But how to do it in a rally like this is not that straightforward,” said Solberg.

“I feel very good. For sure. It's a very tricky weekend. It's not the easiest title decider weekend. It's not just straightforward to go flat out and try to win the rally. It's a tricky rally to win. It's probably the rally that I have the least experience of also. So it's not that easy.

“Hanging dust, punctures, whatever that will happen, whatever that will be, you just have to try to do the best you can and stay out of trouble.”

Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

After hauling himself into the title fight with victory in Chile last time out, Solberg has been the most hamstrung by the WRC’s decision to cut the season one round short after opting not to replace the cancelled Rally Saudi Arabia that was set to host the final round next month.

“For a couple of days there, I was quite angry. I didn't speak to anyone for two days. I was so angry and disappointed. Many people say you could have done a better season in the beginning of the season and blah blah blah, but that is just how it is,” he added.

“Still, we signed up for 14 rallies. I completely agree with the decision, and it's a safe decision to not go to Saudi. We had a lot of time to fix another rally, and it's possible but okay that is life. Two days later, I forgot it very quickly and focused on what I had to do.”

Drivers fear hanging dust

Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Hyundai

WRC drivers have requested event organisers to increase the time gaps between cars amid fears that hanging dust will severely hamper visibility.

Dry sandy gravel roads combined with a lack of rain in the event build up and limited wind means hanging dust has emerged as a hot topic in the service park. Already during Thursday’s shakedown, drivers complained about the dust reducing visibility with two-minute gaps installed between the cars.

"It is bad. It's very loose. They have put a lot of sand on the roads, and obviously, when the stage is covered by trees, especially in the valley at eight in the morning, when there's no wind, it makes it very difficult,” said Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville.

“We asked already [to increase the gaps] during recce. The first answers were no. Shakedown proved this morning that dust was hanging around already for the second car, so you imagine after five, six, seven, eight cars, it would be a disaster.”

Nine-time world champion and last year’s Sardinia winner Sebastien Ogier remains hopeful that "common sense will prevail” on the matter and four-minute gaps will be introduced.

"This first stage tomorrow morning is really typical for that. Every year we had issues in some of the sections of the stage. So I think there is room in the timing of the rally, with a regroup at midday to allow a little bit more gap between the top car," said Ogier.

"Let's hope that happens. We have made a request for it. So far, it's been refused, but let's see.

“Also, for us we want to enjoy this last one in a Rally1 car, but I also think the three title contenders want to have the best and fair conditions to fight together as well.

“The timing of the rally allows it, so that's why we hope common sense will at some point prevail.”

Helmet camera makes WRC debut

Rally fans will have the opportunity to witness a driver's-eye view of a WRC rally for the first time.

The WRC will conduct a live test with an integrated helmet camera produced by Bell Racing Helmets that has been approved by the FIA and features the same technology used in F1.

M-Sport-Ford’s Jon Armstrong will trial the new helmet camera throughout the weekend with the first shots from Shakedown already providing a unique insight.

“It's really cool to see, and it's such a small camera that it doesn't annoy you at all. You wouldn't know that it's there,” said Armstrong. "It's good that the new promoter is trying to push a lot of things that are new."