Solberg satisfied with second place

Prior to this event, Solberg had failed to score in this year's World Rally Championship, having endured a catalogue of disasters in Monte Carlo and Sweden. In that context, he said he was relieved just to be in contention for victory again.

"I am very, very happy with everything," said Solberg. "After all the trouble we've had lately, it's very good to be back fighting for a top position."

The Subaru driver lost touch with eventual winner Sebastien Loeb when he clipped a rock and lost power steering in the penultimate stage of leg two.

"A bolt on the steering rack went loose," Solberg explained. "We didn't break it, it just went loose and all the oil came out, so for that we lost the chance to win the rally."

Solberg's team-mate Chris Atkinson also scored his first points of the season, finishing seventh despite having to rejoin the event via SupeRally regulations having rolled out of fourth place on Friday afternoon.

"It's not bad to get back into the points after losing 15 minutes," said Atkinson. "Obviously it was disappointing with the rock and then the roll on the first day, otherwise we probably would have been third. But we're at the finish and we've got to be happy."