So far this year, Solberg has been competing in the WRC2 category with Toyota’s Rally2 car, a championship he currently leads. The opportunity to step up to top-tier machinery for the Estonian gravel rally came when Sébastien Ogier opted to skip the event.
The Swedish driver completed two days of testing in Finland with the Toyota GR Yaris before the rally. On Thursday’s shakedown stage, Solberg immediately showed promise, setting the fifth-fastest time.
RallyJournal.com caught up with Solberg ahead of his big moment. In the interview, Solberg also revealed why he chose his new, iconic competition number.
How did it feel this morning to be out on the shakedown stage in a Toyota Rally1 car?
“Fantastic feeling. I already felt so comfortable in the car and had a clean, good feeling. So, it was just a big smile.”
How much confidence did the pre-event test in Finland give you?
“When you come from Greece in the Rally2 and jump into Finland with a Rally1, the difference is big—and only with a week’s notice. So let’s see. I think the test gave me good confidence, especially with the aerodynamics and some high-speed sections. Of course, this rally is quite different surface-wise. So let’s see tomorrow—it could be quite slippery. If I have the same feeling… I’ll do my best here.”
What’s your goal and approach for this rally?
“The approach is to take it stage by stage. The main goal is to try to have a clean run. Then we’ll see at the end of Sunday how it goes. If I can finish and have a clean run, then we take it step by step. We’ll see..”
Juha Kankkunen just said your most important task is to return the car in one piece after the rally.
“That’s the plan. He told me the same thing. We had a very short debrief this morning. He said: “Keep it on the road, and that’s it.’”
Fans will definitely be watching you and Sami Pajari closely and comparing your times. Will you be comparing your own times to his?
“I don’t compare myself to anyone at the moment. I compare myself with myself. The top guys are the best in the world, so if I can improve during the weekend towards them, that’s the most important thing. I think Sami may have more experience than me in the WRC car—especially with these cars. I feel comfortable, but there’s definitely much more to fine-tune on the car, get the feeling, and keep learning.”
How big of an opportunity is this for your future?
“For sure, it’s about the future. If I can have a good run, finish, and gain experience, I think that’s the most important thing looking ahead.”
Finally: where does your number 99 come from?
“Well, I love ice hockey, and Wayne Gretzky had 99. I thought it’s a cool, big, flashy number, you know? Number two, which I had last time, felt a bit boring. So 99 is cool.”
