The ultimate commentator’s curse struck during the 2026 World Rally Championship finale as Oliver Solberg looked set to take home the title before a mammoth crash on the second-to-last corner.
Solberg was flying through the dirt track at the Sardinia Rally, leading Welsh rally driver Elfyn Evans, and looked set to become world champion for the very first time.
The 25-year-old was so close to the line that TNT Sports commentator Mike Chen, like many others, already believed he had the world title wrapped up.
‘For me, you are looking at the 2026 World Rally champion,’ Chen said as Solberg’s Toyota charged for the line. ‘I do believe that Oliver Solberg has done enough. It will be close.’
But just moments later, Chen was screaming, ‘Oh, he’s off the road! He’s gone off! He’s off!’ as Solberg lost control of his car and careered off the track.
The cameras showed not only the dramatic crash but also, rather unfortunately, the reactions of Solberg’s mother, Pernilla, and father, Petter, in anticipation of their son’s expected victory.
Toyota’s Oliver Solberg crashed in the final two corners of the World Rally Championship Sardinia race
The error led to Welshman Elfyn Evans securing his first-ever world title at the sixth time of asking
Solberg’s misfortune led to euphoria for Evans, with the Welshman sneaking to the top of the standings to secure his maiden world title and break his run of five-straight second-place finishes.
Evans, with Scott Martin as his co-driver, became the first British world rally champion since Richard Burns in 2001, with the famous Colin McRae the first Briton to achieve the feat back in 1995.
‘It hasn’t sunk in,’ Evans said. ‘I was sure it was over. I didn’t drive the best stage but threw everything at it, but it wasn’t clean. I feel for Oliver. He had an incredible weekend.
‘I don’t really know what my reaction is; it’s surreal with how it happened. It’s a relief. It wouldn’t be my proudest way of winning it, but it’s job done.’
