After completing 2019 as the most successful year in its history, ŠKODA Motorsport will focus even more on customer teams and strengthen the cooperation by offering the best possible services. Like in the past, the development of young drivers also plays an important role. In 2020, ŠKODA Motorsport will cooperate with the team of 18 years old Oliver Solberg (SWE).
Driving a ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo (new name due to a renaming of its’ class by the International Automobile Federation FIA) together with co-driver Aaron Johnston (IRL), he will compete in the WRC3 category of the FIA World Rally Championship. Their first event in this category will be Rally Sweden (13/02/–16/02/2020).
Beginning with Rally Sweden, 18 years old Oliver Solberg and co-driver Aaron Johnston will share a ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo in selected European rounds of the WRC3 category of the FIA World Rally Championship 2020.
Oliver Solberg has rallying in his genes. Father Petter became FIA World Rally Champion in 2003, mother Pernilla was as well successfully competing in international and national rallies. Winning Rally Liepāja at the age of 17 in 2019, Solberg junior became the youngest driver ever to win a round of the FIA European Rally Championship. During the penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship 2019 in Wales, he again delivered impressing stage times in the very competitive field of R5 drivers. “For me, it is all about learning. I am really looking forward to my first rally with the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo in Sweden,“ says Solberg, who already had the chance to test his new rally car.
ŠKODA Motorsport boss Michal Hrabánek is looking forward to the new season as well. “For 2020, we will focus more on customer teams and on the development of young and promising drivers. We are happy to cooperate with Oliver and his team for the WRC3 championship of 2020. He already proved his speed – now we are keen to see his progress throughout the season,” he says.
27th January 2020.