)
World Rally Championship runner-up Oliver Solberg insists he gave everything in the season-deciding battle in Italy and has no regrets over his all-out approach, despite losing the world title just two corners from the finish line.
The 25-year-old was leading Toyota teammate and title rival Elfyn Evans by 1.9 seconds with just over a kilometre left of the season. Had he held that gap across the line, Solberg would have clinched the world crown after arriving at the finale trailing the Welshman by 21 points.
However, Solberg slid off the road into roadside bushes on the final stage of the season. While he managed to rejoin and still secure rally victory, the costly moment dashed his world championship hopes.
Speaking to DirtFish after the finish, the driver remained adamant that adopting a high-risk strategy was his only viable option.
"I'm extremely proud. If I had backed off on the Power Stage, I would never have been able to look back and say I gave it everything. But pushing to the absolute maximum and going off means at least I know I gave it a proper shot," Solberg said.
"It hurts, but as I said earlier in the week, when you take risks there's always the chance of regret. If you never take risks, you'll never discover what you can achieve or what your limits are. If I hadn't tried, I wouldn't have had this opportunity. Naturally it hurts and you kick yourself, but dwelling on it doesn't help."
Solberg also broke down the specific error on the Sassari stage that ultimately decided the championship.
"I expected the corner to be clean and everything felt fine until I hit a bush with a gravel bank on the outside. I didn't expect the front end to dig in the way it did, and it caught me out. When you're driving on the absolute limit, these things can happen. At that point, I had no split times and didn't know I was two seconds ahead."
"I was feeling the tension right from the morning. Starting last of the Rally1 cars, I was worried the road would get dirtier and progressively slower. Elliott and I told each other before the start: whatever happens, we push flat out and give it absolutely everything!"
After completely dominating the second half of the rally and taking the lead on Saturday morning, the young driver was also gracious in his praise for the newly crowned champion, Evans.
"I poured so much effort into this entire weekend and across the whole championship. I experienced huge emotional highs and lows and put my whole heart into it. Just being in with a shot at the title right at the death is incredible. It hurts deeply because rallying is my life, my dream, and my passion. One tiny mistake two corners from the end decided it all, but that's motorsport."
"Elfyn fully deserves the championship. He had an outstanding season. At least I can take peace in knowing I gave myself a genuine chance to win and did everything humanly possible," Solberg concluded.
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
&format=webp)
&format=webp)