Evans ends Britain's wait for World Rally title after Solberg crashes two corners from glory

Elfyn Evans ended Britain’s long wait for the World Rally Championship title, winning with Toyota after a dramatic Sardinia finale on Sunday. Evans, the Welsh driver who had been runner-up five times in the previous six years, secured the crown in a final Powerstage duel with his teammate Oliver Solberg. Solberg, 25, ran wide and crashed down a bank, then returned to the road; while he still won the rally, he lost key bonus points awarded to the top five in the final stage. Evans and co-driver Scott Martin finished fifth in the gravel event but enough to clinch the championship—243 points versus 238 for Solberg and 237 for Sami Pajari. The result also marked the end of an era as new regulations begin next year. Evans said the win was a relief despite not driving the cleanest final runs, and praised Solberg’s weekend before adding he felt it “was job done.”