Solberg shines brightly in sensational comeback at Rally1 event
In the heart of Estonia, the World Rally Championship (WRC) continues to thrill with its high-speed action. After Thursday's super special, Thierry Neuville held the lead. However, the longest leg of the rally, with over 125 kilometers of competitive distance across nine stages, has shaken up the standings.
Saturday's action begins with the 21.45-kilometer Raanitsa test at 08:23 local time. The stage promises two blasts through the high-speed Kanepi and Raanitsa tests.
Kalle Rovanperä, the driver leading the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT team, is currently in the event. Despite being 5.9 seconds behind Neuville in fourth place, Rovanperä, a three-time Estonia winner, is hot on Neuville's heels.
Solberg, co-driven by Britain's Elliott Edmondson, has been a standout performer. He collected his first WRC stage win on the first test through Peipsiääre and backed up his performance on the repeated pass. Solberg, a 23-year-old Swedish racer, is now leading the rally, with a 8.5-second advantage as of the mid-leg service halt.
Ott Tänak, the rally's winner last time out in Greece, is in second place, just 8.5 seconds behind Solberg. Meanwhile, local star Robert Virves leads WRC2.
Elsewhere, Adrien Fourmaux improved his car's stability and won Kambja 2, ending the leg fifth overall. Takamoto Katsuta lost time in the morning with an overshoot and intercom issues, placing him sixth overall, two-tenths of a second behind Fourmaux. Sami Pajari's morning was hampered by intermittent power loss, placing him ninth overall.
Thierry Neuville, despite leading the rally, admitted he was still "fighting" with his Hyundai i20 N Rally1's balance and grip throughout the day. Grégoire Munster had a difficult day with brake issues, a tyre deflation, and an overshoot, placing him 11th.
Tymek Abramowski, a 19-year-old from Poland, leads WRC3 in his step up to the world stage from the European Rally Championship. Mārtiņş Sesks and Josh McErlean are in the top 10, with a 18.6 second gap between them. Elfyn Evans struggled for traction and is in eighth place overall.
As the rally moves into its final stages, the battle for the lead is far from over. Solberg's lead may be small, but his determination and skill have already proven he is a force to be reckoned with. The final stages promise to be a thrilling conclusion to an action-packed rally.
