Solberg embarks on historic rally adventure

Two decades on from Petter celebrating his world title in Wales, Oliver starts the R.A.C. from the principality on Thursday morning. He’s joined by five-time world rally winner Kris Meeke in another Escort plus Chris Ingram, who will pilot a Triumph TR7 V8 on the five-day event which runs through the forests of Wales, northern England and Scotland.

“I don’t know what to expect,” Solberg said, “apart from a big adventure. We have so many stages and so many kilometres to do this week. And, I think, something like 50% of the time we’re going to be in the dark. For me and Elliott [Edmondson] it’s going to be super-exciting.

“My Grandpa [Per-Inge Walfridsson] did this event in a Lancia Stratos in 1976. He finished fourth overall when this event was a round of the world championship – it’ll be great to follow in his footsteps!"

Meeke is similarly excited about the event. The former Toyota driver added: “It’s a marathon and you have to keep that in mind. It’s impossible to predict what’s going to happen in the next five days, but it’s an event I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

The event is named after Roger Clark, a two-time winner of Britain’s famous RAC Rally in the Seventies – with the second success in 1976 counting as the Englishman’s only world championship victory.

The route includes 560 competitive kilometres and 33 stages between Thursday and its finish on Monday evening.