Solberg ready to sacrifice Monte Carlo Rally win for Rally Sweden

Oliver Solberg, a driver for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the World Rally Championship (WRC), has said he may take a strategic approach at next year's Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of the season, and not try to win. This could improve his chances of triumphing in Rally Sweden, the round held in his home country. Solberg is concerned about how the starting order could affect results, and he is calling on the FIA, the sport's governing body, to change the rules.

Concerns over the starting order

Like most of his rivals, Solberg is worried about how the starting order will influence WRC results next season. If the current rules remain, drivers of Rally2 cars could benefit from a cleaner road, gain an advantage and even win rallies. The technical level of their cars is now closer to the top-class machines than ever before.

A win in the French Alps would mean the first start position at Rally Sweden in Umeå. If fresh snow has fallen on the route, that position could be a disadvantage.

"If we look at the current situation and talk a bit strategically, I'm not sure I want to win Monte Carlo again, because I also want to win my home rally," Solberg told the portal DirtFish. According to him, the performance gap between Rally2, Rally2 WRC Kit and the 2027 Rally1 cars is very small. Road cleaning will have a much bigger effect, and in Sweden that could happen.

Proposal to the FIA

Solberg urges the FIA to consider changes to the starting order rules and, together with the championship organiser and other parties, find a better solution. In his view, the next two years need to be kept under control.

If he could set the rules for 2027, he would introduce qualifying, after which Rally1 and Rally2 classes would start separately. The driver believes that anyone wanting to compete in Rally1 should enter that class, while those wanting to compete in Rally2 should stay in Rally2. He says he has spent three years fighting to return to the top and does not consider the current situation logical. Solberg stresses that the classes are closer than ever, so the situation cannot be compared with the past and everyone must adapt to the new conditions.