Elfyn Evans is on the verge of his first World Rally Championship title. The decision to drop Rally Saudi Arabia from the 2026 calendar and the inability to find a replacement means the season will conclude in just over two weeks in Sardinia. For Evans, this is a huge advantage as he only needs one event to secure the title, not two.
Previously, Evans led the standings with a 17-point advantage over Sami Pajari and 21 over Oliver Solberg. With only one race left, Evans' challenge has been halved. If he scores 19 points in Sardinia, he will be the new world champion regardless of his rivals' results.
Pajari and Solberg still have a mathematical chance, with 35 points available. However, Pajari has not outscored Evans by more than 13 points in any event this season, while Solberg took 20 points from Evans in Chile but is now 21 behind. Better road conditions might favor them, but Evans' consistency makes him hard to catch.
What is certain is that WRC will have a new world champion in 2026. Sebastien Ogier, the reigning champion, has been mathematically eliminated. He is 63 points behind Evans with only 35 points left. Ogier's reign is officially over, paving the way for a new generation.
In WRC2, Robert Virves has secured the title. Although Teemu Suninen entered Sardinia, the points gap no longer allows him to challenge Virves. This is the first time the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 has not won the Rally2 championship since its homologation, a blow for Toyota.
Adrien Fourmaux is still chasing his first WRC win. With only one race left, Sardinia is his last chance. He will start fifth and battle with Ogier for fourth in the standings. The pressure on Fourmaux is immense.
Toyota also has to forgo a record for most wins in a season. After equalling Lancia with 10 manufacturers' titles and six consecutive wins, Toyota can no longer reach 13 wins with only one event left. This is a setback for the team that dominated the season.
With all these dynamics, the finale in Sardinia will be a dramatic decider. Evans could make history, while his rivals try to spoil the party. Whatever the outcome, WRC 2026 will be remembered as a season full of surprises and changes.
Baca Juga
FIA coret Rally Arab Saudi dari kalender WRC 2026, pukulan telak bagi Sami Pajari dan Oliver Solberg yang bersaing dengan Elfyn Evans.
Dampak final WRC 2026 pindah ke Italia: Elfyn Evans diuntungkan, hanya perlu satu event untuk juara. Simak analisis lengkapnya.
Josh McErlean mengungkap tantangan Reli Chile yang berlumpur, kesalahan kecil yang berdampak besar, dan pentingnya alokasi ban 36 unit untuk menjaga performa.
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