Oliver Solberg has secured the WRC2 title of the Rally World Championship with a class victory in Chile and is now hoping for a permanent return to the cockpit of a rally1 car.
Together with co -driver Elliott Edmondson, the Swede won his fifth class victory of the season in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 used by print sport. He crowned a successful year that culminated with an overall victory at Rallye Estonia in July in a unique use for the Toyota factory team in the Rally1 car.
“I feel incredible. I am overwhelmed and have to take a deep breath. It was a fantastic season. Five victories from seven starts and a WRC victory, Elliott and I did not do a bad job,” said Solberg after winning the title.
No contract signed yet
Cover Edmondson added: “That was our goal at the beginning of the season and it is great that we achieved it. The victory in Estonia was another highlight. Couldn’t have run better this year.”
On the podium in Chile, Solberg was asked about his plans for 2026. So far, there is no contract, but the 23-year-old hopes that his successes will pave the way into a rally1 cockpit.
“I can promise that no contract has been signed. This is certain. This year we showed that we can achieve what we have made in WRC2. The victory in Estonia was something that we had not yet dreamed of. I hope that we can get something for next year and be able to contest a whole season in the WRC,” said Solberg.
Can Solberg prevail in the second attempt?
Neither Toyota, Hyundai nor M-Sport-Ford have yet announced their driver constellations for 2026. Solberg, son of the 2003 world champion, Petter Solberg, sees his chances positively: “We have done everything that stood in our power. Now we have to try to get to a top team.”
In 2021 and 2022, Solberg had already completed twelve rally for the Hyundai factory team in the top class of the WRC, but had not been able to put itself in the limelight. After returning to the WRC2, he scored ten wins in three seasons at 21 starts in the class and four other podium.