Solberg crashed less than 100 metres from the end of the decisive Sardinia stage, handing Evans his first World Rally Championship crown.
Elfyn Evans became World Rally Champion for the first time after a dramatic finish at Rally Italia Sardegna. His Toyota team-mate Oliver Solberg crashed less than 100 metres from the end of the final special stage, losing the chance to score the points needed for the title.
The 25-year-old Swede needed to finish ahead of Evans on the final stage to secure the championship. Evans had led by 21 points before the Sardinia round, but the gap had narrowed to one point before the deciding run. “I was convinced it was over,” Evans said after the finish, adding that he felt sorry for Solberg.
Evans, 37, became only the third British driver to win the WRC title, following Colin McRae in 1995 and Richard Burns in 2001. Before his Sardinia triumph, he had missed the championship three times on the final day.
Nine-time champion Sébastien Ogier of Toyota was also in contention but finished fourth overall after a crash. Solberg stayed in his car for a while after the rally before his team principal and co-driver persuaded him to join the podium.
Oliver Solberg is the son of Norwegian 2003 world champion Petter Solberg, who competed in the WRC from 1998 to 2012 and again in 2018 and 2019.