Oliver Solberg has no regrets at the all-or-nothing approach which took him to within two corners of this year’s World Rally Championship title.
The 25-year-old was 1.9 seconds ahead of Toyota team-mate and championship rival Elfyn Evans with less than a mile of the season remaining. Had he carried that advantage to the line, he would have snatched the crown, having come into the event 21 points behind Evans.
Instead, his Toyota speared off the road and through the bushes on the final powerstage of the season. He made it back to the stage and won the rally but missed out on the title.
Talking to DirtFish immediately after the finish, Solberg said his approach had been the right one.
“I am very proud,” he said. “If I lost the powerstage on time to Elfyn, then I could never say that I gave it my all. But if I gave it my all and I went off, at least I tried.
“It hurts, but as I said at the beginning of the week also, regret comes with taking chances. And if you never take chances, you will never know what to achieve in life or never know what you can do or never learn or never have the chance. If I didn’t try, I’d never have the chance and, yeah you can regret it, but it doesn’t help.”
Talking about the corner of the Sassari stage which cost him everything, he added: “I expected the corner to be fine and it was fine, until there was a bush, like a gravel bank on the outside and I didn’t expect the car to hook me in, so it came like a surprise. But, for sure, you’re pushing on the limit very hard and I didn’t know the splits, that I was in front by two seconds.
“I was so nervous from the morning. Starting last [of the P1 cars] in the morning, I had no chance. I was so nervous if the road was just going to get slower, slower, slower. So, me and Elliot said before the start: “Whatever happens, we will do and we will give everything!”
“I put a lot of effort into the whole weekend, in the whole year, in the whole championship. A lot of emotion has been up and down and I put a lot of heart into this championship. I think to even have a shot at the end like this, it’s unbelievable. And I don’t think I realized that before the powerstage either – that I actually had a shot. All I knew is that I had to do 110% and I tried my very best all weekend long, until the very end and we talk about two corners there…
Solberg left nothing on the table in an all-out attack on the final powerstage of the season
“When you think about the rollercoaster season that I have, it’s incredible. But it hurts a lot in my heart right now, you know, because it’s my life. It’s been my whole life. It’s been my whole dream, my whole passion. My whole heart has gone into this, and a small mistake, that’s when it fell on. Unfortunately, that’s part of rallying, it seems.”
Solberg, who dominated the second half of the rally having moved into the lead on Saturday morning, was quick to praise Evans’ efforts.
“Elfyn,” he said, “clearly deserves it. You know, he really does. He’s had a great season, but at least I gave myself a chance and I tried my very best.”
