Having started the final round of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship 21 points adrift of the log leader Elfyn Evans and third of the three title contenders, Solberg and co-driver Elliot Edmondson delivered a stunning performance to head into the final stage of Rally Italia Sardegna just one point adrift.
The up-and-down fate of the title swung quite dramatically across the 17 stage, 307km event, with a late puncture for Evans on the penultimate stage setting up a first-ever Wolf Power Stage championship shootout.
Solberg gave it everything. He was 1.9 seconds up on Evans’ time at the final split but speared into the bushes two corners from home and dropped out of the bonus points paying positions.
He went of to win the rally, but the title headed to Wales.
“First of all, I want to say congratulations to Elfyn and Scott. They deserve this for sure; they have been very consistent all season. That I even had a shot with my rollercoaster of a season feels incredible.
“I started to believe more and more through the weekend, and to get so close, it’s tough.”
“In the Power Stage I knew I had to push hard to beat Elfyn, but I wasn’t sure I was doing enough, so I tried pushing even more. Then I made a small mistake at the end, couldn’t save the car and we went off. I expected the corner to be fine, and it was fine until there was a bush, like a gravel bank on the outside and I didn’t expect the car to hook me in, so it came like a surprise”
“For my first season with this team I’m still proud of what we could achieve. I’ve given my heart and tried everything until the very end, and hopefully I have a few more chances to try again.”
“I tried my very best to the very end and that is all I can say. I’m not a guy that gives up. I have a lot of passion,” Solberg reflected.
“It hurts a lot, but I have no regrets. If I didn’t try and I had lost on time I would be struggling even more, but I at least tried. I somehow got the chance to try which was incredible.
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