Solberg pulled off a major sensation at the Rally Monte Carlo, winning the legendary event in almost dominant fashion.
Solberg’s strong success has also been noticed in Sweden, where the second round of the WRC season will be held in mid-February.
The organisers of Rally Sweden are now praising Solberg effusively, as ticket sales for the rally run in Umeå have clearly picked up immediately after Solberg’s victory in Monte Carlo was confirmed.
“We have clearly noticed increased interest in the event,” says Rally Sweden’s Chief Operating Officer Erik Åstrom to local media.
Solberg took Sweden’s first victory in Monte Carlo in 55 years – and his first ever WRC win.
Åstrom can think of no other explanation for the boost in ticket sales than the Solberg phenomenon. After all, Sweden has been waiting for the rise of a local star for quite some time.
“All WRC organisers want a home hero. In Sweden, people have been crying out for a bright rally star for years,” he says.
Despite the increased ticket sales and the Solberg buzz, Rally Sweden also has its own challenges. While Finland has enjoyed plenty of snow cover as far south as Helsinki, the snow situation in Umeå is currently not quite what is desired.
“In terms of the forest and terrain, there is no cause for concern. From the competition’s point of view, we do not need more snow, although high snowbanks would of course allow for more spectacular TV images. However, the situation is more challenging at Red Barn, where we are building snow grandstands. There we would like to have more snow,” Åstrom says.
Rally Sweden will be held from 12 to 15 February. Last year, Solberg once again won the WRC2 category on home roads, but this time he is chasing victory in the top class.
