Two corners from becoming champion: Oliver Solberg's heartbreaking crash tops the most thrilling WRC deciders
The World Rally Championship isn't short of dramatic final rounds, but this year's twist that saw Elfyn Evans claim an unlikely title tops even the seasons of Sainz, McRae and Mäkinen
From the jaws of victory... Oliver Solberg looked set to secure his first WRC title in Sardinia but was pipped by Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans
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5. 2003: Solberg vs Loeb vs Sainz
Subaru’s Norwegian star Petter Solberg, above – ‘Hollywood’ – lay a point adrift of Citroën pair Carlos Sainz and Sébastien Loeb going into Rally GB. But Sainz planted his Xsara in a forest ditch early on, and Solberg had a clean sweep of stage wins on the second day to build a lead that even late steering damage from an impact couldn’t erode. Richard Burns was also in the mix, but his pre-event blackout was the first sign of the illness that tragically claimed him.
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4. 1995: McRae vs Sainz
With apologies to two-time WRC champion Carlos Sainz, whose sequence of title losses were more exciting than his crowning glories. This time his RAC Rally despair came at the hands of Subaru team-mate Colin McRae. The Scot had been forced by team orders to concede victory on the Spaniard’s home event in the penultimate round. McRae then hit a rock on the Pundershaw stage, losing 2min with a puncture, and Sainz led. Next came a McRae comeback – and the title, above.
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3. 2001: Burns vs McRae vs Mäkinen vs Sainz
Another Rally GB classic ended with Richard Burns, above, driving his Subaru to third place and title glory. First Tommi Mäkinen smashed his Mitsubishi’s suspension on a corner-cut, then a puncture on the Focus of rank outsider Carlos Sainz damaged the brakes. Pre-event series leader Colin McRae was now heading the rally, only to barrel-roll his Ford in the forest. Burns survived log-hitting jitters and a parc fermé non-fire-up to get the points he needed.
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2. 1998: Mäkinen vs Sainz
A sick Hillman Imp, police and a Basil Fawlty moment. What more do you want? Mitsubishi’s Tommi Mäkinen led the points going into Rally GB but lost it on the historic Imp’s oil and tore off the right-rear suspension on a concrete block. The coppers pulled him over on the run to service and he was out. Now Toyota’s Carlos Sainz only needed a fourth place, which is where he lay until engine failure 500m from the finish, above. Cue co-driver Luis Moya smashing the rear glass with his helmet.
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1. 2026: Evans vs Solberg vs Pajari
Elfyn Evans, above right, hadn’t won since Rally Japan in May, but surely his points advantage over his Toyota team-mates – 17, Sami Pajari; 21, Oliver Solberg – would be enough to see him home as champion on the Rally Italy-Sardinia finale. No. Solberg, on a wave after his Rally Chile masterclass, was on stunning form. As they headed into the bonus-points Power Stage climax, it came down to whoever set the quickest time across the 4.4 miles of Sassari-Argentiera. Solberg ran last as rally leader, and was up on the splits until he dropped it two corners from the finish. A disbelieving Evans was champion.