Hyundai Motorsport president and team principal Cyril Abiteboul feels Toyota’s Oliver Solberg deserves to win Rally Estonia – describing his performance as “absolutely amazing”.
Driving a GR Yaris Rally1 for the very first time in what was a late deal for Estonia, Solberg has led the rally since Friday morning and withstood the pressure of Hyundai’s two world champions Ott Tänak and Thierry Neuville.
With three stages to go on Sunday, he leads the rally by 21.1s over Tänak. That’s an advantage Abiteboul feels is unassailable.
“Unless anything happens,” he told DirtFish, “but I don’t think so.
“I think he’s in his zone, he’s in his pace, he’s in his confidence level. I think what he’s doing is absolutely amazing. It’s a great story for the sport. So I think he deserves it. And we wish him well.
Solberg's performance has caught the eye of Hyundai's boss
“We are going to push, that’s for sure. Not for him, but because we are going to push for points. We cannot afford to leave anything on the table.”
Hyundai’s team instruction
While Solberg escaped up the road, Hyundai pair Tänak and Neuville were embroiled in a scrap for second across Saturday – swapping positions six times throughout the day. It’s Tänak however who holds the overnight advantage (4.0s).
But with Solberg not a contender in the drivers’ championship, nor registered for manufacturer points, Hyundai effectively holds a 1-2 finish.
“Obviously the team has been very clear to both me and Ott that the car needs to be at the finish,” Neuville told DirtFish. “It doesn’t matter who is first or second.
“The target is clear,” he added. “Also for tomorrow we might need to take some extra points as well with our road position for the team. So that’s a priority and then I will see where I end up in the total ranking.”
Tänak and Neuville's battle has been mighty - but both have a mission to complete
Abiteboul was clear that the drivers had not been given a team order.
He explained: “I think it’s really about the risk level. It’s really saying that, you know, understanding what the bigger picture is. And everyone knows that they need to bring the car home.
“It’s [currently] a great result for the team. And obviously, I think no one would be willing to face the team tonight and to come without the car because the car is in the trees. I think I want to believe that they are professional.”
