Elfyn Evans’ hopes of claiming a first World Rally Championship (WRC) crown are hanging by a thread after rival Oliver Solberg took the lead in the title-deciding Rally Italia Sardegna.

Solberg was again the fastest driver across Saturday morning’s three stages, leapfrogging the overnight top two, Hyundai pair Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux.

The 25-year-old Swede leads Neuville by 2.7 seconds, while Evans lies in sixth place, one minute 57.7 seconds behind the new rally leader.

The Welshman had taken a 17-point lead into the final round of the season, but on current positions that gap would be reduced to four.

With up to 10 points available as Sunday bonuses, and given Solberg’s flying form in Sardinia, that puts him as the favourite to claim a maiden world title rather than his Toyota team-mate.

“A bit out of my control, I feel, with the road cleaning so much,” said Welshman Evans when asked about the title race after stage 10.

“[We’re] not realistically going to catch anybody in front, got to stay clean for now.”