Petter Solberg

Petter Solberg is a rare driver to have won world championships in two different motorsport disciplines. In 2014 the Norwegian sealed the inaugural FIA World Rallycross Championship to go with his World Rally Championship crown from 2003, before retaining the World RX title 12 months later.

Solberg began his career in the sport in the Norwegian 'bilcross' event, a form of rallycross. He took the national title in 1995 and 1996, before switching to rallying. He won the Norwegian Championship in 1998, the year of his WRC debut. Solberg joined the Subaru team in 2000 and it was with the Japanese manufacturer that he enjoyed his biggest success, finishing in the world championship top-two four years running and taking the title in 2003. 

When Subaru pulled out of the World Rally Championship in 2008, Solberg used private backing to start his own Petter Solberg World Rally Team with Citroën machinery. He took a total of 17 podiums for his own outfit and secured third place in the WRC title race in 2010. Then in 2013 he switched back to the world of rallycross with considerable success, winning the first ever officially sanctioned FIA world title in 2014 before retaining the crown a year later.

Riyadh will be Solberg’s fifth Race Of Champions appearance. His first came at Wembley in 2007 when he partnered brother Henning for Team Norway. Then, in 2014, he won the ROC Nations Cup for Team Nordic in partnership with Tom Kristensen before also competing in London and Miami.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2014 & 2015 FIA World Rallycross Champion

2003 World Rally Champion

13 WRC victories, over 50 podiums

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

2002, 2004, 2005 World Rally Championship runner-up

1998 World Rally Championship debut

1998 Norwegian Rally Champion

1997 Norwegian champion in hillclimbing

1995 & 1996 Norwegian champion in rallycross and hillclimbing 

ROC HIGHLIGHTS

Years contested: 2007, 2014-2015, 2017-2018 (5)

2017 Won the deciding heat to give 'The World' victory over America in America vs The World

2015 Winner, ROC Skills Challenge

2014 Winner, ROC Nations Cup for Team Nordic with Tom Kristensen

2007 SF, ROC Nations Cup for Team Norway with brother Henning