Oliver Solberg says he wasn’t “overpushing” and just needs to “improve small details” moving forward after a penultimate stage mistake ended a titanic battle for victory with Sébastien Ogier in the Canary Islands.
Solberg and nine-time world rally champion Ogier were locked in a dramatic duel for victory on the Spanish island which looked set for a grandstand final stage decider.
Ogier witnessed his lead cut to 2.2s heading into the penultimate stage before Solberg’s mission to snatch a victory away from his team-mate landed him in the barrier.
Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
Solberg misjudged a right hander over a crest that resulted in his GR Yaris jumping out of line and colliding with a barrier, forcing an instant retirement.
“The flow in the stage and the speed was good. I wasn’t over pushing and I think I was six tenths slower than Ogier on that split,” said Solberg.
“It was this corner with a jump in it and this morning in the stage we were much slower [as it was wet] so we didn’t really jump much. I didn’t expect the car to jump this much. It was a small mistake and we just jumped out of line and into the armco.
Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
“It was hard to judge and it was a small mistake. It was stupid. When you are fighting it is easy to say you are happy with P2, and that was the goal to try and see how it goes [in terms of going for the win]. Maybe I should have been satisfied with P2, but when you are only two seconds off, you have to try.
“I felt really comfortable in the car today and it came to me so easy. I just misjudged the jump a bit.”
While dejected to have missed out on a strong result and a possible second win of the season, the Monte Carlo winner was able to take positives after proving he was able to take the fight to one of the WRC’s greatest ever drivers.
“For sure, I have to try to stay positive and look forward and keep pushing. I don’t have so many rallies in the car and already have a couple of wins. I just need to improve the small details and do better. The speed and the feeling is there and that is fantastic,” he added.
“It has been a dream come true to fight with him [Ogier] this weekend.”
Ogier never panicked in Solberg fight
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
Solberg’s dramatic exit eased the pressure on Ogier, who went on to claim a 68th career WRC win by 19.9s from Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans.
The reigning world champion said he never panicked despite the relentless pressure that Solberg was applying throughout the rally. The Frenchman was 0.6s up on Solberg in the penultimate stage before his rival’s crash.
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
Reflecting on the triumph, the 42-year-old declared the victory satisfying, but admitted that had the fight played out to the final stage, it would have been a close call.
“Any victory is satisfying but one after an intense weekend and tough fight like this is more enjoyable, and it could have been better if the fight would have gone to the end,” said Ogier.
“It was super enjoyable. It is never really my approach to go for full risk and everyone knows that. I never panicked, like I always do, and I focussed on myself. I was hoping to be the cleanest as possible and keep this strong rhythm.
“On this last loop I was having the rhythm I needed to try to keep the advantage I needed for the win. It would have been a close call in the end and it is hard to know in which direction, but we will never know. It is, for sure, tough for him to go from hero to zero very quickly, but that is rallying.
“He is still very young and I’m sure we will be fighting in the future.”
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