Hyundai to reschedule Solberg WRC outing following COVID quarantine
Oliver Solberg is expected to receive another top flight WRC run this year with Hyundai Motorsport after COVID-19 protocols forced him to withdraw from this weekend’s Rally Sardegna.
Solberg, the son of 2003 WRC champion Petter, was set to make second outing in a WRC spec Hyundai i20 in Italy before his father contracted COVID-19, forcing Oliver to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine in Porto as per WRC COVID-19 regulations.
The 19-year-old had impressed on his full WRC debut with Hyundai in February, finishing seventh in Arctic Rally Finland.
Although an event is yet to be locked in, Hyundai boss Andrea Adamo confirmed to Autosport that the team plans to reschedule another WRC outing for Solberg.
“Yeah, step by step we will see what the situation will be,” Adamo told Autosport when asked if Oliver would get another run this year.
"For sure this is a very big missed opportunity and it makes me very sad because it is something beyond our control.”
Adamo has been impressed by Solberg this year which has prompted the team to offer the teenager another run.
Oliver Solberg, Hyundai
Photo by: Oliver Solberg
“He’s fast. I have to say he is nice to work with as you see the passion he has, you see dedication and his approach to things, which I like a lot," Adamo added.
“He is not like some of the kids that are around sometimes that pretend. He is very humble, he is a team worker and is loved by everyone.”
Solberg admitted he was devastated to miss out on his chance to contest this weekend’s event.
In a newsletter sent on Friday he confirmed that his father Petter was "doing OK with a few mild flu feelings”.
“It’s really hard to take now, but the time for my next rally in that amazing Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC will come. We have these rules and regulations for a reason and that reason is to try to stop this thing spreading,” said Solberg last week.
“My family accepts completely what the FIA, the rally organisers, the national governments and medical professionals are telling us. The most important thing is that we keep people safe.”
Rally Sardegna is set to begin on Friday with the first stage beginning at 0722 BST.
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