Following on from his stunning opening round victory, Petter ‘Hollywood’ Solberg is all set to repeat the feat as the FIA World Rallycross Championship heads to English shores and the Lydden Hill circuit for the second round.
Solberg has good memories of the UK, it was here that he and the Subaru World Rally Team won Wales Rally GB four times, also the place he clinched in 2003 World Rally Championship.
“I’m really looking forward to Lydden,” enthused Solberg “The circuit is a lot of fun to drive, because of all the elevation: it’s a bit like a mini-Spa. I have to say that Pat Doran [circuit owner] has done a great job: you can see that he’s put a lot of investment into the track to make it fantastic for the drivers and the spectators too.”
“The British fans are so enthusiastic, with a passion for the sport just like mine,” he said. “British people really ‘get’ rallycross because it’s always been part of their motor sport. And of course I have lots of fans in Britain, too, because we won the Rally GB many times, including my world title. So I’m very, very happy to be coming.”
Solberg is ready for the challenge of Lydden and knows about the challenges that it presents. “The layout is quite technical but you also need commitment and bravery,” he explained.
“The secret is probably just to carry as much momentum as possible into the corners, but for that you need a good chassis set-up. Rallycross is all about finding the best all-round compromise. It would be easy for me to make a car that was mighty on the asphalt, for example, but you might lose out on the gravel. That’s especially the case for Lydden, with all the high-speed transitions.”
The Norwegian will be hoping to build on his season opening performance and extend his championship lead at Lydden “We won the first round in Portugal, which was great, but that just makes me all the more determined to carry on like this for the rest of the season. That’s why I can’t wait to get to Lydden – it’s going to be another absolutely fantastic weekend,”
