Young Solberg makes ERC history

May 28, 2019 0 Comments

Teenager Oliver Solberg has made history as the youngest winner of an FIA European Rally Championship event by winning Rally Liepāja on his ERC1 Junior debut.

The 17-year old, the son of 2003 world champion Petter Solberg, led the high-speed gravel event from start to finish in his Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, posting the fastest time on 10 of the 13 stages alongside British co-driver Aaron Johnston.

Heading reigning ERC champion Alexey Lukyanuk by 9.7 seconds at the end of the first leg, Solberg simply increased his advantage on the final day and finished up 22.7 seconds clear of the Russian.

“It’s the biggest day of my life,” said Solberg. “I have never driven so good as I’ve done now. I don’t know what to say. It’s unbelievable, I can’t understand it. It’s been such a perfect rally. On the penultimate stage I was too cautious, I was driving too stiff. Then I thought I’ll just do what I’ve done the whole weekend and go flat out, and I won the last stage. I’m so happy.”

Lukyanuk was quickest on SS9 and SS12 in his Saintéloc Junior Team-entered Citroën C3 R5, but admitted to being under pressure to finish, having failed to do so on the Azores Rallye and Rally Islas Canarias earlier this season.

Another first-time ERC1 Junior star finished in third overall, with Mārtiņš Sesks securing a place on the podium on his first event driving an R5 car. On the first of two prize drives for winning last year’s ERC3 Junior crown, the native of Liepāja produced a quick and consistent performance in his ŠKODA Fabia, once again demonstrating his potential.

Chris Ingram faced late drama when he holed a radiator on his ŠKODA in the penultimate stage. Repairs before the final test ensured he could finish in fourth overall, increasing his ERC1 Junior points lead and moving him to within one point of overall championship pacesetter Łukasz Habaj, who came home fifth for the Latvian Sports Racing Technologies team.

Oliver Solberg wears a Stilo WRC DES 8860 helmet.