Oliver Solberg has won his very first stage in the World Rally Championship to storm into the lead of Rally Estonia.
Handed a last-minute chance to drive a Rally1 car by Toyota this week, Solberg is under instruction to bring the car home without damage.
But on his long-awaited return to the top class, the Swede blitzed everyone on Estonia’s longest stage, Peipsiääre, by 5.3s over Kalle Rovanperä to establish a 3.8s lead over Thierry Neuville.
Told about his time, Solberg couldn’t fight the tears.
“I’m getting emotional!” he said. “I’m not here to win… it’s a dream come true.”
Neuville has just 0.7s in hand over Rovanperä behind – winning Thursday’s superspecial but dropping 0.3s on SS2.
Ott Tänak is fourth overall, 7.6s off the lead, with an unhappy Takamoto Katsuta fifth, struggling with understeer.
Adrien Fourmaux felt he didn’t push enough and lost over 10s, while Sami Pajari is over 20s off Solberg’s lead after reporting something was “not right” with his Toyota.
