Here's the thing about a 17-point lead in this championship: it can vanish before you even realize what hit you. The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver heads to Italy holding that exact margin over team-mate Sami Pajari, with Oliver Solberg sitting firmly in contention after his victory at Rally Chile Biobío left the leading trio covered by just 21 points.
Now, with 35 points still available in Sardegna, the championship decider moves to the Italian gravel fixture following the cancellation of Rally Saudi Arabia. Regarding that calendar change, the Toyota Gazoo Racing driver called it the right decision for overall safety, while noting that athletically it leaves things largely unchanged for him. Still, with one less round on the board and the reality of opening the road, Sardegna presents a massive test.
Cruising around is definitely not an option when you look at how fast things can turn. The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver pointed straight to Oliver Solberg's performance in Chile, where a final-day puncture of unknown origin saw his rival claw back 20 points in a single stroke. That is simply the reality of the points system and the sport right now.
Despite the huge prize waiting at the end of the road, the plan is to ignore the championship arithmetic entirely once the action begins. Opening the road in Sardegna is normally a significant disadvantage, meaning things could get difficult very quickly. Drawing on past pressure, the Toyota Gazoo Racing driver noted he had the exact same margin to Seb in 2020 and has plenty of experience of what not to do, adding that the situation is far less certain than it appears on paper.
This year's visit brings an extra layer of unpredictability by shifting from its traditional early-summer slot to October, which could bring very different conditions. Whether sweeping the road proves as costly as usual will depend entirely on the weather leading up to the event. If the week stays dry, it will probably be the same as usual, but everyone will have to wait and see what the skies decide to do.
