WRC Rally Finland: Solberg forced to retire after SS2 crash

WRC Finland: Solberg forced to retire after SS2 crash

Oliver Solberg will not restart Rally Finland tomorrow as the roll cage of his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 was too damaged.

The young Swede went off in the first corner of SS2, Friday’s opening stage of Rally Finland. Solberg went wide in the lefthander and clipped a rock on the outside of the corner.

The car rolled and it meant it was game over for Solberg just a few hundred meters after the start of Friday. “I have no words to describe how I feel…

“Early in SS2 we lost the rear and rolled. I’m just devastated for the whole team who have worked so hard. It’s a pretty tough time right now, but we just have to try and keep our heads up and come back stronger,” said Solberg.

Hyundai confirmed that Solberg won’t restart as the roll cage of the car was too damaged: “Unfortunately Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson will not be able to continue Rally Finland. The team checked the car together with the FIA and as the roll cage is too damaged – for safety reasons – we decided to retire.”

Ott Tänak leads the rally after SS3. The Estonian has a 5-second advantage over Toyota’s Esapekka Lappi, followed by Elfyn Evans (+9.2), Craig Breen (+9.6) and championship leader Kalle Rovanperä (+10.8).

VIDEO: Crash Solberg WRC Rally Finland SS2

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Photo: Hyundai Motorsport