Evans leads three-way battle as new champion set to be crowned in Sardinia
TM•Elfyn Evans leads Sami Pajari by 17 points and Oliver Solberg by 21 ahead of the Sardinia rally, where a first-time world champion will be crowned. Evans needs 19 points to secure the title; the Saudi Arabia finale was cancelled because of regional conflict.
1. Title race in Sardinia
Welshman Elfyn Evans leads a three-way battle for the world rally title, with a first-time champion set to be crowned in Sardinia on Sunday. Evans leads Finland’s Sami Pajari by 17 points, while Sweden’s Oliver Solberg is four points further back; a maximum of 35 points remain available.
2. Evans needs 19 points
Evans, who has finished runner-up five times in the last six years, needs 19 points to secure his first world title. He will start first on Friday, a position he said can make Sardinia difficult because of the road-cleaning effect. All three contenders drive for Toyota.
3. Finale moved to Sardinia
Sardinia became the season’s final round after the Saudi Arabia finale was cancelled due to conflict in the region. Toyota clinched the manufacturers’ championship for a sixth consecutive time and a record-equalling 10th in Chile earlier this month.
