20-year-old Oscar Solberg is to join the Junior British Rally Championship class in a Ford Fiesta R2T ran by MH Motorsport for a full season campaign alongside Patrik Barth.
The Norwegian star who is the son of Henning and nephew of Petter Solberg will move over from the World Rally Championship-supporting Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy and turn his attentions to Britain’s most prestigious rally series.
And the youngster can’t wait for the season ahead. He said: “We have moved away from the WRC to learn and there is no better place than in the UK. I have followed the BRC since the F2 days and it’s going to be quite cool to drive on the same stages as those guys.”
He also is excited to be working with MH Motorsport who he already has previous experience with. He added: “I can’t wait to work with MH Motorsport as they ran me a few times last year. My goal this year is to get on the podium and we will take things a round at a time as we don’t know where we will be on pace until we start driving. The competition is going to be really tough and it will be cool to be fighting with them.”
Solberg admits that the mix of stage surfaces throughout the championship is one of the reasons he chose the BRC for 2017 and admitted: “I am really looking forward to the Isle Of Man the most as the history there is fantastic. Fast wide roads and bumpy narrow bits will make me become more precise and clean. My tarmac driving is something that I am particularly keen to develop this year.”
“I have decided to step away from the WRC and use the BRC to build experience. If you want to learn to drive fast, the UK is the place to go. I am really pleased that Skruvat and all my other local Norwigen sponsors are supporting me as without them I couldn’t come to Britain.”
The name Solberg is famous in the rallying world and Oscar hopes to follow in his fathers and uncles footsteps and has admitted he has already been given advice about what to expect in the BRC. He said: “My Dad and Petter have given me a great amount of support and advice about competing over there, so I hope to use that as much as possible and hope the advice works!”
The 2017 Prestone MSA British Rally Championship begins on the March 17/18 with the Border Counties Rally held in Jedburgh, Scotland.
