Evans on track for WRC title despite tough day

Elfyn Evans remains on course to win his first World Rally Championship title, despite losing time to both his rivals on a tough day in Sardinia.

The 37-year-old Welsh driver lies sixth after seven stages of the season-ending Rally Italia Sardegna, one place behind Sami Pajari and three back on Oliver Solberg.

Despite losing more than 55 seconds to Solberg, the current positions leave Evans as virtual championship leader.

Hampered by having to drive first for Friday's six stages on loose gravel tracks, Evans may well find the next two days less challenging when he starts further down the order.

"We're here, let's see," said a cautious Evans at the end of the day's final run.

"I guess tomorrow will be the test of how we are going to respond to the road position."

The Welshman is one minute and eight seconds behind rally leader Thierry Neuville.

The Belgian is less than half a second ahead of team-mate Adrien Fourmaux, and 12s quicker than Solberg, who will look to overtake the Hyundai pair to apply maximum pressure in the championship race.

Evans began the rally with a 17-point cushion over Pajari and a 21-point advantage on Solberg, with all three Toyota team-mates seeking a first world title.

M-Sport Ford's Josh McErlean is seventh - 12.2 seconds behind Evans - with fellow Irishman Jon Armstrong in eighth.

The rally resumes with six further stages on Saturday and four on Sunday, where bonus points could still decide the overall driver's championship.

Evans will guarantee himself a first WRC title if he collects 19 points from the maximum 35 available to any one driver over a rally weekend.

He has averaged 19.2 points per event this season.

The winner of the rally will collect 25 points, with 17 for second, 15 for third and so on down to one for 10th place.

A further five, four, three, two and one points are available for the five quickest drivers over Sunday's four stages, with the same bonuses awarded for the fastest times on the final Power Stage.

That means any of these five scenarios would guarantee Evans his first world title.

If, on the other hand, Evans fails to collect 19 points this weekend, that does not mean his dream is over, but it does open the door for his rivals.

Pajari must outscore championship leader Evans by at least 18 points - in addition to gaining four more than Solberg - to take the title.

If the Finnish driver - who has won three of the past four rallies - were to take the maximum 35 points, that would mean Evans could score no more than 18.

Those returns would see the Toyota pair tied on 248 points and make Pajari champion by virtue of four rally victories this season compared to the Welshman's two.

Solberg, winner of the previous rally in Chile, needs to score at least 22 points more than Evans and five more than Pajari to take the title.

If he were to enjoy a maximum 35-point weekend and Evans picked up 15, the pair would be level on 244 points, making the Swede world champion on countback with three rally victories.

The rally continues with a further 13 stages before the winner - and the 2026 World Rally champion - is crowned on Sunday.

Saturday's stages

SS8: Lerno - Sa Conhedda - Monti de Ala 1, 24.14km (07:01 BST)

SS9: Coiluna - Loelle 1, 24.83km (08:01 BST)

SS10: Solorche 1, 12.86km (09:07 BST)

SS11: Lerno - Sa Conhedda - Monti de Ala 2, 24.14km (13:31 BST)

SS12: Coiluna - Loelle 2, 24.83km (14:41 BST)

SS13: Solorche 2, 12.86km (15:37 BST)

Sunday's stages

SS14: Osilo - Tergu 1, 23.71km (07:31 BST)

SS15: Sassari - Argentiera 1, 7.10km (09:05 BST)

SS16: Osilo - Tergu 2, 23.71km (10:38 BST)

SS17: Wolf Power Stage, Sassari - Argentiera 1, 7.10km (13:15 BST)