Sports
Eckert walks out of press conference after 'spygate' questions
Southampton's Tonda Eckert walks out of press conference after 'spygate' questions
Sky Sports1 min read
SportsRecap
WRC Portugal: Oliver Solberg stunningly jumps to first in the rain
TL;DR
Oliver Solberg surged to first place at Rally Portugal after a remarkable performance in the rain, moving up from fourth. He won the final stage of the morning loop, outperforming Sebastien Ogier, who lost significant time.
Key points
- Oliver Solberg moved from fourth to first place at Rally Portugal
- He won the final stage by 7.2 seconds
- Sebastien Ogier lost 19.1 seconds during the stage
- Rain affected the conditions during the final stage
Oliver SolbergSebastien OgierElfyn EvansRally Portugal
Motorsport photo
Oliver Solberg snatched the lead at Rally Portugal after delivering a stunning time in wet conditions on the final stage of the morning loop, to climb from fourth to first.
Solberg faced an 18.6s margin to rally leader Sebastien Ogier heading into stage 14, which was hit by rain. The Toyota driver produced an incredible effort in the treacherous conditions that appeared to worsen as the stage progressed.
The effort was enough to win the stage by 7.2s from Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans, while longtime rally leader Ogier dropped 19.1s in the test.
As a result, Solberg grabbed the rally lead by 0.5s from a stunned Ogier.
"Unbelievable. I had the feeling I tried my best, I just had no grip. It's not only about risk, I have no idea how [Solberg's time] is possible, to be honest,” said Ogier.
Crews had expected wet stages but the rain failed to arrive until late into the morning, meaning the majority of crews had suboptimal set-ups on their cars for most of the loop.
Overnight leader Ogier came under pressure from Neuville in the opening stage of the day as the Hyundai driver took time out of the nine-time world champion to the tune of two seconds. It was enough to cut Ogier's rally lead to 1.7s.
Third-placed Sami Pajari won the Felgueiras 1 test to haul himself right into the fight, only 10.7s from the lead.
Ogier was unperturbed by Neuville’s pressure and duly restored this advantage and extended his lead out to 5.0s in the next test (stage 12 - Cabeceiras de Basto). The final section of the stage became heavily rutted, meaning the conditions were worse for the later runners.
However, Ogier was able to produce a time that was only 0.5s slower than the stage-winning time set by Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux.
Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Q&A
How did Oliver Solberg take the lead at Rally Portugal?
Oliver Solberg took the lead by delivering an impressive time in wet conditions during the final stage of the morning loop.
What was the time difference between Solberg and Sebastien Ogier before stage 14?
Before stage 14, Oliver Solberg was 18.6 seconds behind rally leader Sebastien Ogier.
What were the weather conditions during the final stage of Rally Portugal?
The final stage of Rally Portugal was affected by rain, which worsened as the stage progressed.
Who were the top competitors in the final stage of Rally Portugal?
The top competitors in the final stage were Oliver Solberg, who won the stage, and his Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans, who finished second.
