Updated 18.55 | Published 18.48
Oliver Solberg continues to impress in Monte Carlo.
Despite problems with mud and fog, he has extended his lead from this year’s World Rally Championship premiere.
– It is fantastic that I have expanded my management, he says.
Here are the sports highlights of the weekend 23-25 January
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The 24-year-old is making his WC debut with Toyota on the difficult roads outside Monte Carlo, but after the first two days of competition, he has won four special stages.
And he leads the rally, which is decided on tarmac, but where the surface also varies between snow, ice and mud.
– I just wanted to get through the last stretch, there’s so much happening all the time, says Solberg after the ninth stretch that ended Friday’s run.
– We didn’t make a good tire choice.
He has had a tough day, including problems on the fifth special stage where he suffered a puncture on the left front tire, lost a studded tire and lost time. However, he followed that up with a fine drive and a stage victory on the sixth special stage.
At the same time that Solberg has managed to maintain good speed, his nearest competitor and teammate Elfyn Evans has lost something, which means that the Swede now has more than a minute’s lead (+ 1.08). Behind Evans, Sebastien Ogier, who also drives for Toyota, has found the momentum. The Frenchman, who is chasing his tenth WC title, is extremely strong on the difficult roads. He is the only driver in history to win the Monte Carlo World Rally Championship on ten occasions and he is now six and a half seconds off second place (1.14 behind Solberg).
The WC rally continues tomorrow, Saturday.
