As Motorsport.com reports, the World Rally Championship title fight has taken a dramatic turn with the season now set to conclude a round early in Sardinia next month. The FIA and WRC made the joint decision to cancel the championship's visit to Saudi Arabia, which had been scheduled to run as the final round from 11-14 November. Ongoing conflict in the Middle East ultimately forced the cancellation, with championship organizers opting against bringing in a replacement event.
This unexpected calendar shift leaves five-time title runner-up Elfyn Evans holding a 17-point advantage over Toyota team-mate Sami Pajari, while Rally Chile winner Oliver Solberg sits 21 points adrift. With a maximum of 35 points still available on the gravel stages of Sardinia, Evans insists that cruising to the finish is simply not on the table.
"I think in the end it's still very open going to Sardinia and nothing is guaranteed," Evans said. The Welshman knows all too well how quickly a championship lead can evaporate, pointing to Oliver Solberg's late charge in Chile—where a final-day puncture for Evans allowed his rival to claw back 20 points in a single stroke. He also reflected on his 2020 title fight heading into Monza, where a similar 14-point margin over Seb Ogier slipped away, giving him "plenty of experience of what not to do."
While speculation suggested Rally Catalunya in Spain could step in to fill the void, championship CEO Eric Boullier explained that finding a late alternative proved impossible. Boullier noted that safety protocols and the immense logistical scale required to stage a proper WRC event meant rushing a replacement under proper conditions was unviable. M-Sport-Ford team principal Rich Millener echoed that sentiment, calling it a shame to lose a sporting event but agreeing that pushing through a subpar replacement round would have been the wrong move.
With 35 points on the line and road-opening duties on the gravel expected to provide a tough challenge, Evans maintains that his mindset must remain unchanged. He will tackle the Sardinian finale as if it were any other round, ignoring the championship math entirely and getting straight down to work in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 machine.
