Introduction
Oliver Solberg (born 23 September 2001) is a Swedish / Norwegian rally driver. He is the son of the 2003 World Rally Champion, Petter Solberg, and Swedish mother Pernilla Walfridsson, who is also a successful former rally driver.
Oliver was introduced to the world of the WRC even before his first birthday, attending the 2002 Cyprus Rally with his mother to watch his father compete. By the age of eight he was competing in crosskarting, winning his first ever race. Over the next years he won multiple Norwegian and Nordic Crosskart Championships. In 2017 he took his first big step into professional motorsport, entering the RallyX Nordic Championship in his father's FIA World Rallycross Championship-winning DS3. After winning two events in 2017, Oliver returned in 2018 to win the Championship with 3 overall wins - including a dramatic victory at the final race of the season in Tierp.
Rally career
Oliver started his professional rally career in 2017, entering the Rally Alūksne in a Peugeot 208 R2. After two years competing in the Latvian Rally Championship in the R2 class, Oliver stepped into R5 machinery for the 2019 season - ultimately winning the Latvian Rally Championship. Oliver also drove 6 rounds of the American Rally Championship in a Subaru WRX STI, with a livery based on his father's legendary blue and gold WRC Championship-winning car.
He made his ERC debut in the Rally Liepāja in 2019 and surprisingly, he won the rally. He made his WRC debut at the end of the season at 2019 Wales Rally GB in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, showing stage-winning pace but ultimately retiring from the rally.
Rally victories
ERC victories
| # | Event | Season | Co-driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7th Rally Liepāja | 2019 | Aaron Johnston | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 |
Rally record
WRC results
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Oliver Solberg | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | MON | SWE | MEX | FRA | ARG | CHL | POR | ITA | FIN | GER | TUR | GBR Ret |
ESP | AUS C |
NC | 0 |
| 2020 | Oliver Solberg | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | MON 25 |
SWE | MEX | ARG | POR | ITA | KEN | FIN | NZL | TUR | GER | GBR | JPN | NC* | 0* |
* Season still in progress.
WRC-2 results
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Oliver Solberg | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | MON | SWE | MEX | FRA | ARG | CHL | POR | ITA | FIN | GER | TUR | GBR Ret |
ESP | AUS C |
NC | 0 |
ERC results
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Sports Racing Technologies | Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | PRT | ESP | LAT 1 |
POL | ITA | CZE | CYP | HUN | 6th | 39 |