Solberg's season has been marked by stark contrasts. Last July, the young Swede achieved his first overall victory in the Estonia Rally, his first race with the current generation Rally1 car.
It's no surprise that Solberg has fond memories of this race.
“It brings back great memories. Winning there for the first time last year was incredible. It was my first race with the car and I never thought something like that was possible. It was an amazing experience,” said Solberg.
“It’s great to be back in Estonia now, on those high-speed roads and in conditions where I’m a bit more experienced. Hopefully I can turn my season around there. The first half of the year was really good, but the second half was a bit more challenging. My plan for the rest of the season is to put in some strong rallies.”
The season that began with the Monte Carlo victory
Solberg had a flawless start to the campaign by winning the Monte Carlo Rally, but since then he has experienced more disappointment than success. After the Japan Rally, he was third in the World Rally Championship standings, but he only managed to score a single point at the Acropolis Rally.
As a result, Solberg dropped to fifth place in the championship standings, behind championship leader Elfyn Evans and his Toyota teammates.
“Elfyn is a fantastic guy. He’s been fighting for this championship for years and he’s back in the lead now. He’s done a tremendous job this season. He has a lot of experience behind him,” said Solberg.
“This is only my first year, so it wasn’t expected to be easy. Although the season started brilliantly with two victories, the journey hasn’t been easy. It’s all part of the learning process. The goal is to learn from every experience, continue to push harder, and come back even stronger.”
We don't get much advice from Ogier anymore.
While Solberg's results have dropped in the last two rallies, Sébastien Ogier's form has continued to improve. The pair maintain their good relationship, but something has changed.
“"He doesn't give me much advice anymore," Solberg said with a smile.
“But I have fantastic teammates. Everyone is incredibly competitive. Everyone wants to be the best and make the car faster, but at the same time we work together really well. It’s a great team to be a part of.”