Oliver Solberg dominates in shock Rally1 victory

Oliver Solberg surprised the World Rally Championship area to attain a commanding maiden win on his Rally1 return in Estonia and ship Toyota’s one hundredth WRC victory.

After receiving a name to affix Toyota’s Rally1 ranks two weeks in the past, WRC2 chief Solberg and his co-driver Elliott Edmondson delivered a masterclass efficiency claiming 9 stage wins from the 20 quick gravel assessments. It has come two and a half years for the reason that pair’s final Rally1 outing with Hyundai.

The 23-year-old Solberg took the win by 25.2s from Hyundai’s house hero Ott Tanak, with the Estonian’s team-mate and reigning world champion Thierry Neuville scoring a much-needed third [+48.3s] to kickstart his title defence.  

“After every part, after so a few years and making an attempt and making an attempt and dreaming, me and Elliott have performed it,” mentioned a tearful Solberg. 

Solberg had solely two take a look at days in Finland to regulate to the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 automobile, nevertheless it didn’t hamper the Swede. Solberg was seventh quickest after Thursday’s tremendous particular stage earlier than beautiful the Rally1 regulars on Friday. Solberg took his maiden WRC stage win in stage two to leap into the rally lead – a place he wouldn’t relinquish for the rest of the occasion.

Solberg produced constant velocity all through to say three levels wins to guide Tanak by 12.4s on the finish of Friday, whereas Neuville trailed his team-mate and one of many pre-event favourites by 1.8s. Tanak had the drawback of beginning second on the highway however was additionally struggling to seek out the efficiency candy spot along with his i20 N. 

On Saturday, Solberg confronted a harder take a look at along with his beginning place just like his rivals having been eighth on the highway on Friday. The highway place change had little impact on Solberg, who continued to ship unimaginable velocity and maturity behind the wheel. 4 stage wins helped Solberg improve his benefit to 21.1s over Tanak heading into Sunday. The lead was helped by Tanak making a uncommon error when he misjudged his braking in stage 9, costing seven seconds. 

Solberg had been involved that forecasted rain may scupper his dream Rally1 return having by no means pushed the automobile within the moist. Nevertheless, Solberg thrived within the rain that arrived on Sunday morning, including one other two stage wins on his approach to victory, whereas claiming the Tremendous Sunday classification. 

The win comes 20 years after his Norwegian father, 2003 world champion Petter Solberg, scored his final WRC win at Wales Rally GB. Oliver Solberg additionally turned the primary Swedish WRC winner since Kenneth Ericsson received in New Zealand in 1997, whereas Edmondson is the sixteenth British co-driver to win at rallying’s high stage. 

Tanak admitted the hole to Solberg was too giant to get well on pure tempo alone on Saturday and his focus turned to holding onto second. The 2019 world champion, spurred on by a vociferous crowd, turned locked in an intense combat with Neuville.

The pair switched positions on six events via Saturday earlier than Tanak took management on Sunday. Any hope Neuville may snatch the place away was thwarted by a 10-second leap begin penalty on stage 18 that the Belgian labelled as “tremendous unfair”. With Solberg not registered to attain producer factors, Hyundai took a 1-2 within the constructors’ battle.     

Tanak has now moved to the highest of the championship overtaking Toyota’s Elfyn Evans, who once more struggled for velocity all through and finally completed sixth [+1m43.4s] after overtaking Takamoto Katsuta on Sunday. Evans managed to choose up 11 factors, however now trails Tanak by one level within the standings.

Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photograph by: Toyota Racing

Solberg apart, it proved to be a troublesome weekend for Toyota as neither of its common drivers confirmed constant velocity. Two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera was tipped to shine having received the final three WRC editions of the occasion. 

The Finn topped shakedown, however that was nearly as good because it obtained as Rovanpera continued to battle adapting to the new-for-2025 Hankook tyres – ending the rally with a Energy Stage win in a lonely fourth [+55.6s].

Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux endured a gradual begin, however rapidly climbed the leaderboard to complete fifth having claimed a quickest time in stage six. Toyota’s Sami Pajari suffered a brake difficulty on Friday that hampered his progress and he completed seventh after Katsuta retired with a mechanical difficulty. 

Martins Sesks emerged as the very best of the M-Sport-Ford trio to complete eighth [+3m36.0ss], comfortably forward of team-mates Josh McErlean [+5m29.8s] and Gregoire Munster [+5m57.5s]. 

Estonia’s Robert Virves fought off a illness bug to say a primary WRC2 win by 18.4s from compatriot Georg Linnamae.