Oliver Solberg will make his asphalt début in the European Rally Championship season opener, Rally di Roma later this month. The Norway-born Swede, son of 2003 WRC Champion Petter, will therefore be hoping to emulate his father’s long-time rival Sébastien Loeb, who gave Oliver an in-depth Tarmac tutorial in 2018.
Having Petter Solberg for your father is, undoubtedly, cool. And, undeniably, useful. When Oliver and his papa were talking about the then 16-year-old’s first proper asphalt test in 2018, Petter called a mate.
His mate knew a thing or two about driving on Tarmac. He’d won the odd event, like eight straight Rally Germanys. And seven Monte Carlos.
Who better to help out than Sébastien Loeb? Loeb was only too happy to hop in his heli, buzz the Swiss-French border and join the boys in Alsace for some fun in a Peugeot 208 R2.
It was impossible not to be slightly awed by the whole scene: the nine-time world champion had landed in a field and shut the door to his Eurocopter like he was stepping out of a Ford Mondeo in search of a morning paper. If there’s one thing Loeb does even better than driving, it’s humility.
Sliding into the co-driver’s seat, Oliver couldn’t help but keep peaking around at the man next to him.
“It’s so cool,” he giggled. “So cool to be driving with him.”
Typically, Loeb’s lines were inch-perfect across the mid-summer asphalt in France’s far east. There was the odd chirrup from a warmed-up slick as the master slowed the car for one of the test road’s tighter junctions. Otherwise, progress was slick. And very swift.
After Oliver’s first shot, the teenager feels he’s braking too late. There’s a debrief. Loeb’s spills some secrets.
“It’s good to brake late,” said Loeb, “and in one time – quite aggressive on the hit and then less aggressive to the apex. But not be too fast in the middle of the corner, to be able to be early on the throttle.”
Advice offered, Loeb immediately looked to Petter to make sure he was in line with parental teachings. Further work on the brake balance and there was some serious progress into the afternoon.
Studying the 208’s telemetry, there was an instant win.
“You were already very close to the limit on your run and now you were one second earlier on the throttle. The black line is mine and your run is the same.”
Oliver took in every word.
“It’s insane,” he said, “to listen to him and learn from him. It’s incredible. And so nice to come and help.
“He was teaching me to keep the car straight, balanced and how to keep the tires and the brakes cool. From the first run in the morning to the last run at night, I could see some real progress.”
Loeb agreed, adding: “He was very fast, with a good feeling for the car. It was nice to work with somebody young like him. He’s driven some RX Supercars and that helps him understand how left-foot braking helps with the power and things – but to drive some little cars like this one is also good for the experience.”
Masterclass delivered, Loeb fired up his ride home and took to the skies.
Oliver was on a similarly vertical trajectory, to cloud nine.
And now – or more pertinently – at the end of this month, Oliver will get the chance to put Loeb’s theory into practice when he starts his first ever all-asphalt event at Rally di Roma.
