For the third time this season the young Norwegian Oliver Solberg, son of the 2003 FIA World Rally Champion Petter Solberg, will be getting a WRC drive in the Hyundai Motorsport’s 2C Competition team at the tarmac rally of Spain in a couple of weeks.
Solberg who is turning 20-years-old next week won on his asphalt rally debut in the Italian Rally di Alba earlier in June. Now the level of difficulty will increase significantly for Solberg when the asphalt roads in the area around Salou, southwest of Barcelona, will be conquered in a Hyundai i20 Coupé WRC.
“It’s fantastic to be back in a WRC car. When I drove the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC in Alba earlier this year, the experience was just amazing. For sure I’m really, really looking forward to it. It’ll be an awesome challenge.” Solberg said.
“And to be going in the car to Spain is really special as well. There’s something so spectacular about the stages there and, of course, we all know about the huge numbers of fans. To go to Catalunya with the proper, proper car will be something very special.”
“As well as that, like we know, this generation of cars is nearly at an end, this will be one of the last races with these cars – so it’s a real privilege to be in it and competing again. I know I talk a lot about my dreams and having them come true, but this is the same – it’s another dream come true and I have to say a big thank you to Andrea and the team.”
The Finnish winter round of Arctic Lapland Rally in February and the Safari Rally in Kenya in June are the only rounds Solberg have driven in the WRC class so far. Hyundai’s plan has always been to match the Norwegian carefully during his first season as a factory driver. The goal for him to complete the rally, team manager Andrea Adamo in Hyundai Motorsport have said.
The Spanish WRC round will take place on 14-17 October and will play host to the penultimate round of the season.
