The World Rally Championship is heating up for a proper three-way title showdown on the gravel roads of Sardinia this weekend, as Motorsport.com reports. Championship contender Oliver Solberg made the absolute most of Thursday's opening super special stage to grab the early advantage.
Driving his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 alongside co-driver Elliott Edmondson for Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, Solberg started the event trailing championship leader and team-mate Elfyn Evans by 21 points. Knowing he needs to go flat out to chase a maiden world title, Solberg delivered right away in the technical head-to-head test. He managed to beat M-Sport-Ford's Josh McErlean comfortably, posting a time quick enough to secure the stage win and a 0.8s rally lead.
Of course we’re trying to give absolutely everything we’ve got. From tomorrow onwards it’s going to be one crazy ride.
"The goal is simple but to achieve it is a different story - 35 points is what I need to get. I will do my best and try to stay out of trouble. After a rollercoaster season, somehow I'm still in the fight," Solberg said.
Solberg's opening benchmark eclipsed the time set by team-mate Sebastien Ogier, who managed to edge Hyundai's Thierry Neuville by 1.5s in their respective duel. Meanwhile, championship leader Elfyn Evans got the better of nearest title rival Sami Pajari in their head-to-head encounter to slot into third overall, sitting 1.1s behind Solberg.
"I'm feeling alright at the moment. I would say I'm looking forward, but I think tomorrow will be tough," said Evans, who holds a 17-point advantage over Pajari and needs to score 19 points this week to secure his first world title. Evans added: "We are here to drive like usual and try and do a good job even though it will be quite challenging. To do that you have to drive well. We are not in a position to cruise around here."
Pajari finished with the fourth fastest time, ending up 0.8s ahead of three-time Sardinia winner Thierry Neuville, the highest-placed Hyundai runner. "That’s just the first stage of this exciting weekend," Pajari noted. "Of course we’re trying to give absolutely everything we’ve got. From tomorrow onwards it’s going to be one crazy ride."
It was a tougher evening for returning Hyundai driver Dani Sordo. Sordo went sixth fastest on the opening stage, 2.4s off the pace, but actually finds himself 22.4s off the lead due to two separate 10s time penalties. The trouble started when he checked out of service one minute late after damaging the left rear suspension on his i20 N Rally1 during Shakedown, and a jump start in the stage compounded the damage.
Toyota's Takamoto Katsuta, rejoined by regular co-driver Aaron Johnston after Johnston missed Rally Chile through injury, heads into Friday in sixth overall, sitting 0.3s ahead of Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux. Further down the order, Jon Armstrong led the M-Sport-Ford charge in eighth, finishing 0.5s ahead of team-mate Josh McErlean. The third M-Sport Ford Puma of Martins Sesks slotted into 12th behind WRC2 competitors Teemu Suninen and Emil Lindholm, with a demanding six gravel stages waiting for the crews on Friday.
