Petter Solberg

Petter Solberg
Born	(1974-11-18) November 18, 1974 Norway
Occupation(s)	Professional rally and rallycross driver (retired)
Years active	1998–2018 (WRC and Rallycross)
Known for	2003 World Rally Champion, FIA World Rallycross Champion 2014 and 2015

Petter Solberg (born 18 November 1974), often referred to as "Mr. Hollywood", is a retired Norwegian professional rally and rallycross competitor.

Solberg made his first appearance in the World Rally Championship in 1998 and joined the Ford factory squad in 1999. The following year, he began a fruitful collaboration with the Subaru World Rally Team, finishing second to Marcus Grönholm in 2002 and becoming the first Norwegian to clinch the drivers' world championship in 2003. He was runner-up behind Sébastien Loeb for the subsequent two seasons. After Subaru exited the WRC in 2008, Solberg established the Petter Solberg World Rally Team, campaigning with various Citroën vehicles. He returned to a factory outfit in 2012, rejoining Ford.

Transitioning to rallycross in 2013, Solberg claimed the inaugural FIA World Rallycross Championship title in 2014, achieving five victories and nine podium finishes, and successfully defended his championship in 2015. In 2017, he launched PSRX Volkswagen Sweden in partnership with Volkswagen Motorsport, securing Team Championships in both 2017 and 2018 before retiring from full-time racing.

His son, Oliver Solberg, follows in his footsteps as a rally driver; both have competed together at the Race of Champions.

Early career

At age 13, Solberg captured the Norwegian Tamiya Cup RC car title in 1987, drawing inspiration from his parents who participated actively in bilcross—a budget-friendly variant of Norwegian rallycross. He contributed to rebuilding race cars on the family farm prior to entering his first bilcross event in 1992, shortly after obtaining his driver’s license. Dominating national competitions, Solberg secured Norwegian championships in rallycross and hillclimb during 1995 and 1996 with numerous victories. His rally debut occurred in 1995 at the Norwegian Rally Bjørkelangen, driving a Volvo 240. His co-driver at that time was Maud from Sweden, now married to his brother Henning Solberg, who earned five Norwegian Rally Champion titles between 1999 and 2003.

WRC career

Supported by fellow Norwegian John Haugland during the late 1990s, Solberg caught the eye of WRC teams. By late 1998, after excelling in a comparative test drive, he obtained a three-year junior contract with Ford. Though initially slated for a supporting role, he impressed by earning points at the challenging 1999 Safari Rally following an injury to a teammate.

2000–04

In early 2000, contract disputes led Solberg to depart Ford's M-Sport team and sign with Subaru World Rally Team (SWRT), joining teammates Richard Burns and Juha Kankkunen. His first podium finish arrived at the 2001 Acropolis Rally. Notably, he sacrificed personal championship points that year to aid Burns’ title pursuit.

The following year, with Tommi Mäkinen joining Subaru after Burns left, Solberg secured his maiden WRC victory at Wales Rally GB thanks to consistent driving and an incident involving rival Marcus Grönholm. In 2003, Solberg entered the final rally battling Sébastien Loeb and Burns for the championship. After Burns withdrew due to health issues, Solberg finished ahead of Loeb to claim his second Wales win and secure his first—and only—World Rally Championship title, marking him as Norway’s inaugural world champion.

During his title defense season in 2004, Solberg won five out of sixteen rallies—including a third consecutive Wales Rally GB triumph—but was unable to overcome Loeb’s escalating dominance. Despite strong showings, several mid-season retirements hindered his championship campaign.

2005

Introducing Australian driver Chris Atkinson to the team, who took over from the underachieving Finn Mikko Hirvonen, Solberg launched the 2005 campaign with vigor. He triumphed in two of the initial three rallies, held in Sweden and Mexico, briefly ascending to the top of the championship standings. Nevertheless, Loeb soon surpassed him, and Solberg concluded the season with 71 points, finishing as runner-up by virtue of a tiebreak ahead of Peugeot's Marcus Grönholm.

Solberg secured a poignant victory at the Wales Rally GB following the tragic accident that claimed the life of competitor Markko Märtin's co-driver, Michael Park. In a respectful gesture, Loeb ceded the win to Solberg, avoiding celebrations amid the somber circumstances. This event marked Solberg's last triumph in the WRC. Over the season, he claimed three rally wins but was hampered by considerable misfortune towards the end, including a retirement at Telstra Rally Australia after colliding with a kangaroo.

2006

Continuing with Subaru in the 2006 season, Solberg piloted an upgraded Impreza WRC. His main sponsorship came from 24SevenOffice, which provided a record-breaking contract worth 5 million Norwegian kroner. Despite this financial support, his performances were inconsistent compared to Loeb, who dominated by winning five consecutive events driving a privately entered Citroën Xsara WRC and secured the championship despite an arm injury. Solberg achieved several second-place finishes in Mexico, Argentina, and Australia but ultimately placed sixth overall. This result ended Subaru's long-standing streak of securing top-three positions in the drivers' championship since 1994.

2007

Solberg commenced the 2007 season with a personal best joint sixth place at the Rally Monte Carlo. A potential podium finish slipped away in Sweden due to lost time, and he was outpaced by his brother Henning during their home event at Rally Norway. Technical complications affected his outings in Mexico, Argentina, and Sardinia, resulting in two retirements and drops down the standings.

A promising third-place finish at the Acropolis Rally came despite issues with dampers. However, persistent handling difficulties and reliability setbacks with the Impreza S12A led to retirements in Finland caused by steering malfunctions and further steering damage after striking a rock in Germany. Similar problems continued through New Zealand and Catalunya; although he managed sixth place in Catalunya, he acknowledged improvements ahead of upcoming rallies.

At the Tour de Corse, engine stalling and handling troubles restricted him to fifth place behind emerging talent Jari-Matti Latvala. In Japan, an early crash followed by gearbox failure forced Solberg to retire; he later re-entered under SupeRally regulations to finish 16th and earn points for Subaru.

On his 33rd birthday during Rally Ireland, Solberg secured fifth place, describing it as his most challenging rally yet but citing enhanced car performance. Wrapping up the season at Wales Rally GB, he achieved fourth place despite minor setbacks, contributing to Subaru's third-place finish in the Manufacturers' Championship. Overall, Solberg ranked fifth in the drivers' standings for 2007.

Additionally, he represented Norway alongside his brother Henning at the 2007 Race of Champions, where they advanced to the semi-finals in the Nation's Cup but did not claim individual victories.

2008

During the 2008 campaign, Solberg and Atkinson continued their partnership with SWRT. Solberg kicked off the season with a fifth-place finish in the Monte Carlo Rally and followed up with fourth in Sweden. However, he either retired or failed to score points in the subsequent four rallies. The innovative hatchback version of the Subaru Impreza, known as the WRC2008, made its debut at the Acropolis Rally, where Solberg claimed second place behind Sébastien Loeb.

Despite establishing a personal best for consecutive point-scoring finishes, Acropolis was Solberg’s only podium appearance that year. He concluded the drivers' championship in sixth position, trailing his teammate Chris Atkinson by four points, while Subaru secured third place in the manufacturers' classification.

2009

On 16 December 2008, Subaru declared its withdrawal from the World Rally Championship, following Suzuki's earlier departure. This left Solberg and his co-driver Phil Mills without a factory team, causing them to miss the opening round of 2009 at Rally Ireland. After considering options with Ford and Citroën vehicles, Solberg acquired a 2006-spec Citroën Xsara WRC and planned to compete as a privateer starting with the 2009 Rally Norway.

By early February 2009, Solberg had secured five sponsors, including notable names such as Microsoft, Pareto, and Hurtigruta Carglass. On 6 February, he officially launched his own outfit—the Petter Solberg World Rally Team (PSWRT)—with Mills continuing as co-driver. The team comprised thirteen members, including former Subaru personnel Ken Rees as team manager and François-Xavier "FX" Demaison as chief engineer, supporting Solberg's independent campaign.

Adjusting to the new car required some time; nevertheless, Solberg managed a sixth-place finish at Norway, scoring three points. Equipped with an updated Citroën engine, he achieved third place at the Cyprus Rally, becoming the first privateer to reach a podium since 1993. He replicated this success with another third-place finish in Sardinia.

Throughout Portugal and Argentina—where he retired from third due to fuel pressure issues—and Italy, Solberg consistently battled for third and fourth positions. Facing pressure to upgrade from his Xsara to a Peugeot 307 WRC, he instead secured enhancements such as an improved intercooler and mechanical differentials before Sardinia, where he successfully defended third place under intense heat. Although contemplating switching to Peugeot, he ultimately remained loyal to the Xsara.

After retiring from Rally Finland, Solberg opted out of Rally Australia while searching for a more competitive vehicle. Testing both a Citroën C4 WRC and a Ford Focus RS WRC, he confirmed his intention to drive an updated 2008-spec C4 for the final two rounds: Rally Catalunya and Wales Rally GB. He competed under PSWRT at Catalunya but scored points for the Citroën Junior Team alongside Sébastien Ogier in Wales. Concluding the season with two fourth-place finishes, Solberg ranked fifth overall in the Drivers' Championship.

2010

On 12 January 2010, Solberg procured two Citroën C4 WRC cars built to 2009 specifications and entered the 2010 World Rally Championship. At the Swedish Rally, he finished ninth, earning two championship points. During the Corona Mexico Rally, Solberg led after day one but slipped to second when road-sweeping conditions favored Loeb. He ultimately secured second place following a tight contest with Ogier—marking PSWRT's highest achievement so far. At Rally Jordan, Solberg took third place amid controversial team tactics that drew criticism and were later prohibited.

In April’s Rally Turkey, Solberg contended for victory but settled for second after stages were canceled due to safety concerns amid difficult conditions. This result positioned him second in the Drivers' Championship standings—just ahead of Hirvonen and Latvala but well behind Loeb.

At Rally New Zealand, a strategic miscalculation regarding road position caused Solberg to lose time on Saturday. While aggressively pushing during a close final stage battle, he crashed out from third place, allowing Latvala to claim the win.

On 11 June, PSWRT announced that Phil Mills would part ways with Solberg after eleven years together—a partnership that spanned Ford and Subaru factory efforts as well as their own Citroën team, yielding thirteen rally victories and the 2003 world championship title. Chris Patterson was appointed as the new co-driver on 29 June.

In their debut event together at the tarmac Rally Bulgaria, Solberg and Patterson won five stages and finished third—just 6.8 seconds shy of second-place Dani Sordo. Additional podium finishes in Japan, France, and Spain helped Solberg secure second place at Rally GB, fulfilling his objective of finishing within the top three in the championship.

2011

On 14 January 2011, PSWRT officially announced Solberg's involvement in the 2011 World Rally Championship season piloting a Citroën DS3 WRC. In February, Swedish authorities suspended Solberg's driving licence after he was caught exceeding the speed limit by 32 km/h while heading to the fifth stage of the WRC event, resulting in co-driver Chris Patterson taking over the driving duties.

2012

In December 2011, Ford confirmed Solberg’s comeback to the factory-backed Ford World Rally Team for the 2012 World Rally Championship season. Early in the campaign, he earned podium placements: third place finishes in Monte-Carlo and Mexico. Following Mikko Hirvonen’s disqualification in Portugal, Solberg was elevated to third place in that event, which moved him up to second in the overall standings, trailing leader Sébastien Loeb by just four points. On 4 December 2012, Solberg declared he would not compete in the 2013 WRC season.

2013

Solberg redirected his efforts toward rallycross, participating in all nine rounds of the FIA European Rallycross Championship with his own team based in Torsby. Despite challenges such as retiring from a leading position during the Finnish round, he finished eighth overall in the Supercars division.

2014

Competing with the PSRX Citroën DS3 Supercar, Solberg captured the inaugural FIA World Rallycross Championship title, making history as the first driver to secure FIA world championships across two different motorsport disciplines.

2015

Alongside teammate Liam Doran, Solberg raced under Solberg Doran Rallycross (SDRX) during the 2015 World Rallycross Championship season. He successfully defended his WRX championship behind the wheel of the Citroën DS3, clinching the title during the final round held in Rosario, Argentina.

2016

In 2016, Solberg competed privately in the FIA World Rallycross Championship’s Supercars category with a Citroën DS3. He won the opening event in Portugal, added three more podium results, and recorded eight top-five finishes overall, concluding the season ranked fourth.

2017–2018

For 2017, Petter joined forces with Volkswagen Motorsport to create PSRX Volkswagen Sweden, driving their Polo GTi RX. The team quickly established dominance within World RX; Petter secured his last World RX victory at Lydden Hill and finished third in the championship standings. Meanwhile, teammate Johan Kristoffersson claimed his first World Championship title. PSRX Volkswagen Sweden also took home the Teams’ Championship that year.

Continuing into 2018 with an updated Polo R model, PSRX Volkswagen Sweden retained their Teams’ Championship crown with even greater supremacy. Across 24 events spanning 2017 and 2018, PSRX amassed an unprecedented 19 victories—a record-setting achievement within the sport.

Additionally, Petter made a brief return to rallying in 2018 by debuting the Volkswagen Polo R5 at the 2018 Rally Catalunya, where he finished third in the WRC2 category.

2019–present

After retiring from full-time competition following 2018, Solberg embarked on a 'Farewell Tour' throughout 2019 that included selected favorite events. Among notable accomplishments were setting the fastest RX lap at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, breaking the lap record at Norges Råeste Bakkeløp hill climb, winning Gymkhana Grid, and securing a final class victory at the 2019 Wales Rally GB.

Since stepping back from full-time racing, Solberg has been actively supporting his son Oliver Solberg’s advancement within the World Rally Championship. In 2022, together they celebrated victory representing Team Norway by winning the Race of Champions Nations Cup.

Gymkhana Grid

At the 2016 Gymkhana Grid held in Marathon, Solberg secured first place in the AWD category while driving a Citroën Xsara. Two years later, in 2018, he achieved a runner-up position in Johannesburg behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Polo. In 2019, he triumphed once again at the Warsaw event, competing with a Volkswagen Polo.

Personal life

Born in Askim and brought up in Spydeberg, Solberg is the younger sibling of Henning Solberg. He is married to Swedish rally driver Pernilla Solberg (née Walfridsson), and together they have a son, Oliver Solberg, who has followed in his footsteps as a WRC competitor. Pernilla is the daughter of Per-Inge "Pi" Walfridsson, a former Volvo factory driver and 1980 European Rallycross Champion, who also secured fourth place overall at the 1973 RAC Rally. Pernilla herself was recognized as a prominent female rally driver. The family currently lives in Mitandersfors, Sweden.

Following his retirement from competitive driving, Solberg was diagnosed with ADHD.

WRC victories

No.	Event	Season	Co-driver	Car
1	58th Network Q Rally of Great Britain	2002	Phil Mills	Subaru Impreza WRC02
2	31st Cyprus Rally	2003		Subaru Impreza WRC03
3	16th Telstra Rally Australia
4	47ème Tour de Corse – Rallye de France
5	59th Wales Rally of Great Britain
6	34th Propecia Rally New Zealand	2004		Subaru Impreza WRC04
7	51st Acropolis Rally
8	1st Rally Japan
9	60th Wales Rally of Great Britain
10	1º Supermag Rally d'Italia Sardinia
11	54th Uddeholm Swedish Rally	2005
12	19º Corona Rally México			Subaru Impreza WRC05
13	61st Wales Rally of Great Britain

Complete WRC results

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WRC-2 outcomes

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Year	Entrant	Car	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	WDC	Points
1998	Shell Norge	Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205	MON	SWE 16	KEN	POR	ESP	FRA	ARG	GRC	NZL	FIN	ITA	AUS Ret		NC	0
	Petter Solberg			GBR Ret
1999	Ford Motor Co	Ford Escort WRC	" MON"	SWE 11		19th	2
Ford Focus RS WRC		KEN 5	POR 11	" ESP"	" FRA"	" ARG"	" GRC"	" NZL"	""	" CHN"	ITA 27 "	" AUS"	GBR 9 "
Petter Solberg		FIN 12
2000	Ford Motor Co	Ford Focus RS WRC00	" MON"	" SWE"	KEN 5	POR Ret	" ESP"	ARG 6	GRC Ret	NZL 4	FIN Ret	" CYP"		10th	6
Petter Solberg	Subaru Impreza WRC2000		FRA Ret	ITA 9
Subaru World Rally Team		AUS Ret	GBR Ret

Year	Team	Vehicle	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Pos.	Points
2018	Volkswagen Motorsport	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	MON	SWE	MEX	FRA	ARG	POR	ITA	FIN	GER	TUR	GBR	ESP 3	AUS		26th place	15
2019	Petter Solberg	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	MON	SWE	MEX	FRA	ARG	CHL	POR	ITA	FIN	GER	TUR	GBR 1	ESP	AUS C	21st place	25

Full IRC standings

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Year	Team	Vehicle	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	IRC Ranking	Points Earned
2011	Petter Solberg	Peugeot 207 S2000	MON Retired	CAN	FRA	UKR	BEL	AZO	MAD	CZE	HUN	ITA	2011 Rally Scotland(SCO)	2011 Cyprus Rally(CYP)	–	0

FIA European Rallycross Championship full results

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Supercar category

Year	Team	Vehicle	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7	Round 8	Round 9	Final ERX Position	Total Points
2013 European Rallycross Championship season	PSRX	Citroën DS3	GBR 10th	POR 3rd	HUN 9th	FIN 5th	NOR 13th	SWE 6th	FRA 2nd	AUT 6th	GER 6th	Finished in 8th place	93 points

Full FIA World Rallycross Championship Results

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Supercar

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Season	Team	Vehicle	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Championship Position	Points
2014	PSRX	Citroën DS3	POR 1	GBR 6	NOR 2	FIN 10	SWE 3	BEL 3	CAN 1	FRA 1	GER 1	ITA 3	TUR 6	ARG 1		1st	267
2015	SDRX	Citroën DS3	POR 2	HOC 1	BEL 2	GBR 1	GER 2	SWE 6	CAN 8	NOR 7	FRA 2	BAR 1
1st	301

External links

• Petter Solberg's profile at RallyBase.nl