Henning Solberg's son Oscar joins British Rally Championship field
Oscar Solberg will compete in the British Rally Championship's Junior class with MH Motorsport this season
The Norwegian - son of World Rally Championship competitor Henning and nephew of 2003 WRC champion Petter - will drive a Ford Fiesta R2T.
Last year the 21-year-old competed in the WRC-supporting Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy and said the pace of the British drivers he had faced there proved he would have a tough battle this season.
"It's not going to be easy. I've been driving with Jon Armstrong and Osian Pryce so I know these people [in Britain] are really fast," said Solberg.
"Now I'm more confident with my pace notes and my driving so I think I'll be fast.
"I'm just trying to prepare the best I can now, and trying to win this thing! It's not going to be easy."
Henning Solberg believes the UK is the perfect place for his son to develop.
"It's just to learn as much as he can," he said of Oscar's 2017 aims.
"I think Britain is very good for that, all the top guys have been there.
"I know how long it takes, it takes time to be a good rally driver and he needs to drive as much as he can."
MH Motorsport boss Mike Harris worked with the Solbergs last year.
"I think they want to progress his skill level and increase his publicity in the BRC," he said.
"I think he can be a contender to win the championship and there's good prize money for the championship as well."
BRC LINE-UP TAKES SHAPE
Solberg's news is the latest in a series of announcements ahead of the 2017 BRC starting with the Border Counties Rally on March 17.
As predicted by Autosport, M-Sport has confirmed a two-car Ford Fiesta team on DMACKs for the top R5 class, with three-time BRC champion Keith Cronin its lead driver and national rallying regular Alex Laffey in the second entry.
Swede Fredrik Ahlin won the Pirelli Carlisle Rally last year before slumping to fourth with a luckless second half of the season, and had been expected to move on from the BRC this year.
But he recently announced he will continue in Britain and with CA1 Sport, swapping last year's Fiesta for a Skoda Fabia.
Ahlin's CA1 team-mate David Bogie, the 2011 BRC champion, will also feature at the front according to team boss Martin Wilkinson.
Bogie traded times with the Skoda works WRC2 drivers on last year's Rally GB after a luckless campaign in the BRC.
The CA1 squad switches from Pirelli to DMACK tyres for this season.
Be part of the Autosport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
Williams reserve Aitken remains with Campos, targets F2 title
Rookie Tyler Reddick thinks he can make 2020 NASCAR Cup playoffs
The Daytona 500's greatest upset, 30 years on
How real-time scrutineering ensures fair and consistent competition in motorsport
How MotoGP brakes work: Secrets of stopping a 220mph bike
Hyundai enacts contingency plan after WRC Kenya fuel issue
Vanwall working on 2025 WEC comeback with heavily-revised Hypercar
How a new 'old' challenge is capturing the spirit of British rallying lore
How Lotus emerged as a period Goodwood force
How to get the best out of amateur racers
How Radical revamped its record-breaking flagship model
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments