Hyundai chooses not to extend Oliver Solberg's contract
The decision is based on a desire to deliver more consistent performances from its three-car line-up next year, the Alzenau-based squad said in an official communication this morning.
Solberg – the son of 2003 World Rally Champion, Petter – made a total of eight Rally1 appearances in 2022, with his last returning a fifth-place finish on last weekend’s Repco Rally New Zealand.
His best performance came at Ypres Rally in Belgium where he bagged fourth spot – the high point of a campaign that has been overshadowed by reliability and performance-related issues with his I20 N Rally1 car.
This year marked the 21-year-old’s first proper season as a ‘works’ driver, with this preceded by a full-on WRC2 assault for the South Korean manufacturer after former team boss Andrea Adamo secured his services towards the end of 2019.
Before making the step up, he drove with Skoda Motorsport and competed in both Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Polo R5 machinery alongside Aaron Johnston before the Northern Irishman made way for Solberg’s current navigator, Elliott Edmondson.
“Obviously I’m disappointed about the situation, but I have to respect the team’s decision and its new plan to go ahead with three cars and only experienced drivers in its driver line-up,” said Solberg.
“It’s been very nice of them to have been open with me during this process. I know it wasn’t an easy call for them to make since the plan has changed. I remain grateful for this first opportunity that they have offered me in the WRC.
“We knew that this season would be one of learning, of which we have done a lot, and it will undoubtedly be valuable experience for me in the next stage of my career.
“I will remain committed in my duties to the team for the rest of the year and send my thanks to everyone at Alzenau and on the rallies for their support. We will be ending this chapter on good terms, and I’ll always wish them well,” he added.
Hyundai Motorsport’s interim team boss Julien Moncet has confirmed Solberg will remain with the team until the season is finished, with the pre-event recce in Japan “as well as other activities” planned for him.
“Oliver has been a great asset to our team this season, showing himself to be resilient and eager to learn,” said Moncet. “However, we have seen the benefits of having an experienced and consistent crew at the wheel of our car. This will be our focus for our 2023 line-up.
“We wish him the very best for the future. In the World Rally Championship, you never know when paths may cross again. We end this particular phase of the relationship on good terms and know that Oliver will find the right next step for his career.”
