Oliver Solberg produced a dazzling performance in the final World Championship race of the year and is heading for victory in Italy.
But at the same time, the duel for the World Championship title is underway, where Solberg must climb past championship leader, Briton Elfyn Evans, and in that fight, a rival's crash put Solberg in a difficult position.
Thierry Neuville, who was second in the stage, crashed on the 11th special stage. The incident gave Evans a free pass to fifth place in the stage.
Shit. Sorry, but I'm disappointed, said Solberg when he found out about Neuville's crash on TV4's broadcast.
This means that Solberg has a six-point lead over Evans in the overall standings heading into Sunday, instead of four as it would have been if the Briton had remained in sixth place, which he was in before Neuville's crash.
The ten bonus points awarded on the final day will be important, with five going to the driver with the best overall time and five to the winner of the final special stage.
"I never give up, I fight until the end," said Solberg.
