Solberg shines on Fiesta debut
FIA World Rally Championship driver Henning Solberg has successfully contested his first ever event in a front-wheel-driver car by winning his class on the opening round of the Norwegian Rally Championship, the Mountain Rally, in a Ford Fiesta ST.
Contesting the event as a fun exercise and to refresh his pacenoting skills with co-driver Cato Menkerud, Solberg won his class convincingly to finish the event as the leading GpN Fiesta ST.
While this was a one-off event for Solberg due to commitments with his Stobart VK M-Sport Ford rally team, he did however enjoy his first experience of a front-wheel-drive car at race speed.
“This was a fun event and I am really happy to finish as top Fiesta because I have never even driven a front-wheel-drive rally car before,” said Solberg. “I borrowed the Fiesta from my friend and it was a really great car to drive and it was great to be able to win for Ford of Norway who have helped us a lot in 2007,” he added.
Overall the Norwegian finished in 15th place, coming home first in the two-wheel-drive category. This is the first time since 2003 that Solberg has been leading a class in the Norwegian Rally Championship.
“I am now focused on getting off to a good start with the Stobart team in the WRC as we head to Monte Carlo next week. These Fiestas are a lot of fun and for sure I would like to rally one again some day,” concluded Solberg.
The GpN Fiesta ST was run on E85 Bio-Ethanol, a control fuel that has already been tried and tested in the Swedish Ford Fiesta Flexi-Fuel Cup and will be used in the FST UK and FST International championships in 2008.