This time, the 49-year-old Solberg took the wheel of a Land Rover Defender for the Clare Forestry Rally in Ireland. The 2003 World Champion quickly got acquainted with the off-road vehicle and claimed a clear victory in the Defender Rally Series race, finishing over a minute ahead of his competitors.
Solberg only conducted a short test in the four-wheel-drive SUV before the competition. Notably, he achieved 24th place overall in the rally standings.
“I wasn’t so sure what to expect from this car and this championship, but that was so much fun. The car was nice to drive, really interesting. You know me, I would always like a little bit more testing before an event, but when this one started I was feeling happy with the car straight away,” Solberg said.
The race consisted of five special stages, held in rainy and muddy conditions. Solberg suffered a puncture on the opening stage but managed to avoid further issues throughout the event.
Solberg found some unique comforts in racing with an off-roader.
“Of course, we want rally cars to be fast, but there’s also a time when a driver likes to sit comfortably as well – that’s certainly the case with this Land Rover 90. We have the heater, the air conditioning, it’s probably the most luxurious rally car I ever drove,” Solberg remarked.
“The stages were quite challenging and slippery in places with the rain and the weather coming in – but I have really enjoyed this event.”
The overall victory in the Clare Forestry Rally went to Ireland’s Ryan Caldwell in a Škoda Fabia R5, with Solberg finishing just under five minutes behind the winner.
