Solberg turns heat on Evans in WRC title decider

Elfyn Evans remains the virtual leader of the World Rally Championship (WRC) but is under real pressure from his rivals after a tough Friday morning at Rally Italia Sardegna.

Welshman Evans was only sixth fastest after four stages, two places and 14 seconds behind his closest title challenger Sami Pajari.

The other potential world champion, Oliver Solberg, is two seconds ahead of Pajari in third - though it is Hyundai drivers Adrien Fourmaux and Thierry Neuville who lead the pack midway through the first full day of the season-ending rally.

Facing the most difficult conditions as first driver on the loose gravel, Evans is 24.9 seconds behind Fourmaux, further adrift than the 37-year-old had expected.

"Bit of a surprise," said Evans after stage four.

"It didn't feel like that bad a run, but of course, it feels super slippy."

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

Solberg, who lost time to a puncture earlier in the day, finished the morning strongly, completing the 23.18km stage four a remarkable 16.5 seconds faster than Evans.

"After the puncture this morning I just tried to drive normally again," said the 25-year-old Swede.

"It was a clean run, nothing special, but I just try to drive as good as I can really."

Finnish driver Pajari was quicker than Evans on all three morning stages but admitted he was worried it was not enough.

M-Sport Ford's Josh McErlean is in seventh place on the rally, with team-mate and fellow Irishman Jon Armstrong 16th.

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.

Friday's remaining stages

SS5: Tula - Erula2, 18.77km (13:31 BST)

SS6: Su Filigosu - Lerno 2, 17.83km (14:31 BST)

SS7: Monti di Ala' - Sa Conchedda - Lerno 2, 23.23km (15:38 BST)

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)