Swedish Driving Prodigy Oliver Solberg Gives Subaru the Win at Olympus Rally
Photo: Subaru
For most teenagers, getting behind the wheel of a nearly two-ton vehicle is a daunting task in and of itself. Add in racing around corners on dirt tracks at incredibly high speeds, and you’re sure to incite a panic attack. But that’s not the case for Swedish teenager Oliver Solberg, who was incredibly calm and collected when he won his first event for team Subaru at the DirtFish Olympus Rally in Washington.
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The 17-year-old driving prodigy had never seen the Olympus stage roads before and worked with veteran co-driver Denis Giraudet prior to the event. In his blue and gold Subaru WRX STI, Solberg was consistent and kept a strong lead against his Subaru teammate and champion driver David Higgins. Although Higgins did get within 11 seconds of Solberg after the sixth stage of the race, his vehicle unfortunately suffered a leak in a brake line that caused him to complete the remainder of that stage without brakes.
David Higgins and co-driver Craig Drew won 4 of the 12 stages at the 2019 DirtFish Olympus Rally
Photo: Subaru
Oliver Solberg celebrates his first American rally victory and first win with Subaru Motorsports USA alongside his proud father and 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg
Photo: Subaru
Longtime WRC co-driver Denis Giraudet celebrates with driver Oliver Solberg at the 2019 DirtFish Olympus Rally
Photo: Subaru
Oliver Solberg and Codriver Denis Giraudet speed by a spectator point in their 2019 Subaru WRX STI at the 2019 DirtFish Olympus Rally
Photo: Subaru
17-year old Oliver Solberg earned his first American rally victory at the 2019 DirtFish Olympus Rally
Photo: Subaru
Oliver Solberg’s 2019 Subaru WRX STI dominated the rocky DirtFish Olympus Rally roads
Photo: Subaru
Oliver Solberg and veteran co-driver Denis Giraudet sliding their Subaru WRX STI at the 2019 DirtFish Olympus Rally
Photo: Subaru
By the time the technical stages began the following day, Higgins and his co-driver Craig Drew were 41 seconds behind Solberg and Giraudet. But the veteran drivers managed to cut that lead to just 14 seconds by the time the race was over. At the end of the race, Solberg’s parents — legendary racing father Petter and mother Pernilla — were waiting at the finish line.
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Solberg was understandably emotional after winning his first event for Subaru, exclaiming, “When we got to the end of the last stage, it was like a dream had come true for me. My mom was first to the car and then dad… you know we have all worked hard for this and I have a lot to thank those guys for. Us Solbergs, we’re an emotional family and this was an incredible, incredible moment for us all.”
The next race for Solberg will be later this month at the Idaho Rally International from June 22-23, where his teammates Higgins and Aaron Johnston will also be competing.
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