Elfyn Evans can seal first WRC title in Sardinia after Saudi finale cancelled

Elfyn Evans will arrive in Sardinia on 1-4 October with his first World Rally Championship title within reach.

The Welshman leads the standings by 17 points. A win in Italy would settle it. The title race was compressed after November's Rally Saudi Arabia was cancelled because of ongoing unrest in the Middle East, leaving Rally Italia Sardegna as the final round BBC.

The FIA and WRC Promoter confirmed the switch on 17 September, naming Sardegna as the closing round of the 2026 season FIA. The Italian event, based in Olbia, replaces Saudi Arabia, which had been scheduled for 11-14 November Reuters.

Evans heads his Toyota team-mate Sami Pajari. Oliver Solberg, also in a Toyota, sits third, four points behind Pajari. That leaves two drivers who can still catch the leader with one rally left.

The maths is simple. A maximum of 35 points are available in Sardinia. Evans needs at most 19 points to be sure of the crown. A third win of the season would guarantee it outright.

For newcomers, the points work like this. The overall rally winner collects 25 points and second place collects 17. Crews can then add bonus points, with up to five available on the final stage plus five more for the best driver across Sunday's final four runs.

Evans has averaged just over 19 points per rally this season. Hit that average again and the championship is his.

It would end a long wait. Evans has finished runner-up five times, in 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. He lost to Sebastien Ogier in the final rally in both 2021 and 2025. He said his approach to Sardinia will not change despite the calendar shake-up.

What makes this stand out is the history on offer. No British driver has won the drivers' title since Richard Burns in 2001. Colin McRae took it in 1995. Evans would become only the third British world champion.

For fans, this means a straight shootout on gravel. Sardinia's narrow, rocky tracks punish mistakes and reward clean driving. That suits a leader who does not need to chase.

The BBC will return to coverage of the WRC from next year, under a three-year deal to show every round live from 2027 to 2029.