– Drive so smart! – VG

– That is incredible! Drive very smart, says a Petter Solberg clearly transferred to VG from Estonia.

The son won his class (WRC3) and was also better than all in the WRC2 class, where the official drivers drive and where the Norwegian Mads Østberg / Torstein Eriksen in Citroën won. But they came well behind Solberg and his VW Polo (38.7 seconds).

– My first victory in a World Cup race. It’s a lot of fun, Oliver Solberg said as he passed the goal in an interview shown on Eurosport.

– Oliver was careful on Sunday. There has been no reason to “push” to win the tests, he led, of course. But he’s won stages anyway, Dad Petter smiles at VG.

– It is very easy to DJ here in Estonia. Oliver did it twice on Saturday. So he has been careful and has brought two spare wheels in the car. Although it gives added weight and slightly poorer driving characteristics, it makes sense to have wheels on the car if something happens, says Petter Solberg, owner of the car his son drove in Estonia this weekend.

– I haven’t quite understood it. The World Cup is the World Cup!

The son has come much further than Petter Solberg did at the same age. The 18-year-old made his debut as a World Cup driver in Wales in 2019, at the same rally for which his father thanked him at the highest level.

– I take it easy. But there are rough roads and I love jumping, Oliver Solberg himself said in an interview shown on Eurosport.

This was his fifth race at the World Cup and therefore the first victory. The map reader is the Northern Irishman Aaron Johnston.

In total, it was number eight, second only to the WRC cars. For uninitiated readers: WRC is the top class in the World Rally Championship. The R5 is a car with less horsepower and fewer features, but an important step on the way to the finish is becoming the best rally driver in the world, which Solberg aims to be.

The WRC2 and WRC3 classes are similar cars, but with the difference that the WRC2 drivers are supported by the car factories, while the WRC3, where Solberg drives, are privately operated.

– I keep a comfortable rhythm without taking risks. We started way back in the queue and the roads are awfully paved when we get there. Sharp and sometimes large stones are swirling around and there is a great risk of punctures in such conditions, Oliver Solberg said after Saturday’s ride.

– So it’s a lot about using your head and holding back a bit when possible.

This is the first World Rally Championship to take place since the crown crisis. The rally was 233.4 km of speed stages over gravel.

– It feels great to be back. The development of the car is good, said Citroën driver Mads Østberg in an interview shown on Eurosport. He has now won all three rallies in 2020 in this class.

The winner of the “grom class” WRC was Ott Tänak, Estonia’s hometown hope. Iren Craig Breen contributed to Hyundai’s double win.

PS: Eyvind Brynildsen was number five in the WRC2 class, while Ole Christian Veiby rolled and had to break.