- Solberg going to stay for many years – Aftenposten

This mean motorsport experts on Petter Solberg’s historical performance.

Sun secured Petter Solberg World Champion title in rallycross with a third place in World Cup round in Italy. Thus Solberg (39) the first ever to win World Cup gold in two different motorsport disciplines. It’s been 11 years since he won the World Rally Championship in 2003.

Solberg is also the all-time leading world champion in rallycross. Previously elite competition namely called for the European championships.

The last years of Solberg period rally circus was turbulent, including continuous layer change. So we had Solberg thus switch to rallycross to the new peak.

Aftenposten spoke to four different motorsport experts on Solberg’s performance.

Atle Gulbrandsen

Motor Responsible for Viasat Sport

– This is first and foremost fun. It is a gimmick which not many people have tried before. But for us who know him, it is not surprising that he has done it. He is a person who never gives up. Driving a car is what he loves most in the world. This is a sport where you can be competitive over several years than in many other sports. He’s going to stay for many more years.

– So he will not be tempted to give up after this triumph?

– No. He loves this too much. Martin Schanke (six times European champion, journ. Note.) Continued until well into the 50s. Petter Solberg has many good years left. Hopefully this will lead to Citroen enters and creates its own factory team in rallycross, with Peter at their head.

– How will it benefit him?

– When he gets a completely different economic frameworks. Rallycross is on the rise, but it’s still not the same as the WRC. When Solberg drove rally for Subaru, he was the best-paid athlete. In recent years, he has, in principle, not raised wages, but had to provide their own budgets.

Per-Espen Løchen

Former journalist in NTB . Now Solberg’s PR Manager.

– Rallycross is a tremendous cost to him. When he drove for Subaru rally he had an annual salary of six million euros (about 50 million by today’s rate). He pays much out of pocket. He has invested a lot in including traulere and equipment. He has total invested around 30 million since he began with rallycross in 2009.

– What is it that drives him?

– This is what he can. He has the inner hungry. He is on 20 hours a day for the worst, so it can go for months.

– Petter has very faith that rallycross will be the next big thing in motorsports. He believes that rallycross will take over and become the number two in the world in motorsport after Formula 1.

Frode Skaar

Commenting rallycross for Viasat.

– To be a world champion in two motorsport disciplines is a major achievement. One can highlight Sébastien Loeb, who has won the World Rally Championship nine times. He also runs a series of asphalt racing this year (touring car, journ. Note.), And he has failed to win the championship there too. There are many oppgjennom years have run two different branches without success.

– Rallycross is a branch where you are running against five other cars in the final, it’s a completely different type of drive than the rally. There are many who have not handled the transition. It should be noted that Peter comes from rallycross. He was a star in Norwegian rallycross 90s.

– What qualities do Petter Solberg who have made this possible?

– He has incredible car control, he is a master at mastering the car.

– Do you think he will continue his career?

– Petter going to hold on. This is a lifestyle that I do not think that Petter manage to live without. His son Oliver is 13 years old and is Swedish, Norwegian and Nordic Champion in crosskart. His wife Pernilla Walfridsson is also a former race car driver. So this is a motorsport family. It is in the blood. They will not stop anytime soon.

Sverre Isachsen

Pro rallycross-running in the United States. Took the rest of his first win in Seattle Saturday.

– It is insanely great to get the first World Cup gold in rallycross home to Norway. All glory to Peter, who has done a phenomenal job. He has done things their right.

– What’s Petter Solberg’s greatest strengths?

– He has a great enthusiasm. He gives in a way never. It is a nice feature. It’s really great to get this. It is important to be the first to win world championships in two branches. He’s a fighter. All seniors.

Published: 29.sep. 2,014 6:35