Oliver Solberg Re-Writes Rally History

17 years and 245 days; Oliver Solberg’s winning time to become the youngest winner of a FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) event.

Total domination would be a more accurate phrase for the young Norwegian’s performance at Rally Liepāja in Latvia, as he set the fastest time on 10 of the 13 stages of the latest round of the ERC. The result now also takes Oliver to four wins from five rallies this season alone.

The 17-year-old arrived in Liepāja looking to take a third straight Latvian Rally Championship win aboard his Circle K-backed Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.

Oliver promptly won the Qualifying Stage, then he won the opening stage. And the next one. And the one after that.

By the end of a sunny and dusty Saturday, Oliver and his Northern Irish co-driver Aaron Johnston built a 9.7-second advantage over their nearest rival. Only sliding wide in a right-hand junction mid-way through the third stage cost him the chance to dominate every test.

Sunday brought a further eight stages and 106.50km of competition.

Three stages into day two and Oliver had doubled his lead at the top of the table. From then on, it was about delivering a dream. Not even rutted roads and the onset of rain could derail this amazing story.

And, naturally, he sealed the biggest win of his young life with fastest time on the 13th and final stage.