Solberg secures Hyundai outing for WRC Safari Rally
Oliver Solberg will join the top World Rally Championship class again having secured an outing with Hyundai Motorsport at the Safari Rally later this month.
The son of 2003 WRC champion Petter Solberg will make his second appearance in a Hyundai WRC car in the championship at the iconic Kenya event (24-27 June), which returns to the championship after a 19-year hiatus.
Solberg was set to contest Rally Sardinia earlier this month before having to withdraw from the event after his father contracted COVID-19. As a result, the 19-year-old was forced to quarantine for 14 days in Porto following Rally Portugal, as per the championship’s COVID-19 protocols.
Confirmation of Solberg’s second WRC call-up for Hyundai comes while the rising star is driving a Hyundai i20 WRC car at the tarmac Rally di Alba event in Italy.
The teenager has impressed the Hyundai squad after finishing seventh on his full WRC debut at Arctic Rally Finland in February. This will be Solberg’s first run on gravel in the Hyundai WRC car.
“I know I talk about my dreams a lot “but this one really is a dream,” said Solberg.
“I can’t believe it! When Andrea [Adamo, Hyundai Motorsport Team Principal] and Alain [Penasse, Hyundai Motorsport Team Manager] first talked about me maybe going out to do the recce on Safari, I was so excited.
“Now I’m going to compete at Safari Rally Kenya. The World Rally Championship is full of incredible events in amazing places, but this is such an honour and a privilege to be doing this one.
“The WRC has been waiting for 19 years since the last Safari and to be competing with a factory World Rally Car when the sport goes back to Africa is so special.
“I’m always excited to be getting in a car to drive, but this is on another level now.
“Like always, I want to say a really big thank you to Andrea, Alain and the whole team for making this happen.”
Oliver Solberg, Sebastian Marshall, Hyundai 2C Competition Hyundai I20 Coupé WRC
Photo by: Fabien Dufour / Hyundai Motorsport
Hyundai boss Andrea Adamo added: “I am really happy that Oliver can finally make his gravel debut with the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC on gravel at Safari Rally Kenya.
“We have seen at the Artic Rally Finland that he can be very fast in the WRC car and I think he already showed what he can do, but most of all we want him to enjoy the Safari and there won’t be any pressure on him.
"I am sure we will see again some nice speed from Oliver and he will have the possibility to learn more about the car.
“I am looking forward to see him in action, we all know he is a very fast driver, who is both passionate and dedicated – I really like his approach to things and I am sure he will be able to impress again.”
Related video
Previous article
WRC teams to be offered strategies for hybrid use in 2022
Next article
Matton: WRC not expecting new marque until 2024 at the earliest
Vodafone Rally de Portugal Friday afternoon recap
Croatia Rally SS5-SS8
WRC Croatia Rally 2021 Teaser
TOP 5 reasons to watch Croatia Rally 2021!
How Hyundai's broken record gave Toyota a special Sardinia 1-2
For the second WRC gravel rally in a row, a promising Friday for Hyundai turned into desolation as Toyota gratefully picked up the pieces. This time it was championship leader Sebastien Ogier who took full advantage after Ott Tanak and Dani Sordo retired to score a memorable victory, having swept the road on the first two days
How Hyundai's latest self-destruction handed Evans Portugal victory
At one point Hyundai held the top three positions in Portugal, but when trouble struck the Korean marque's two leading chargers, a grateful Elfyn Evans was on hand to see off Hyundai third man Dani Sordo and become the third different winner in four rallies
Why the success of AVB's WRC debut won't be defined on the stages
Three years after a Dakar Rally crash resulted in him being airlifted to hospital, Andre Villas-Boas is preparing to make his debut on his home round of the World Rally Championship later this month. His goals for the event are modest, but the same cannot be said for the charities he plans to promote where his true impact could be felt
Why there's no easy fix for Hyundai's operational Achilles Heel
Hyundai Motorsport boss Andrea Adamo was vocal in his criticism of his team's tyre choices on Rally Croatia and declared that he "had better move my ass and solve it". Doing so will be vital to getting Hyundai's 2021 WRC title hopes back on track, but finding the root of the problem won't be the work of a moment
How Ogier held on after a shock bump in the road to triumph in Croatia
Sebastien Ogier was already in an incredibly tight fight at Rally Croatia before a surprise collision with public road traffic at the start of the final day. But the defending champion held his nerve to take a narrow victory and create further World Rally Championship history
Why the casualty of rallying's evolution should still be cherished
The WRC's support categories are in a process of streamlining that will spell the end of a formalised 2WD world championship-level category. While its relevance to the top level has been questioned for some time, that doesn't mean it should be swept quietly under the carpet
Why WRC's hybrid path could leave it at a crossroads
With all three major manufacturers committing to the World Rally Championship’s hybrid era from 2022, the future of the series is assured for now, but it could lead to trickier twists and turns further down the road
How Tanak froze out the competition at the Arctic Rally
Ott Tanak made up for a disastrous Monte Carlo Rally by leading all the way on the snow-kissed stages of the Arctic Rally Finland and in the process hit back at an event Toyota had been expected to dominate
