Rally Chile Bio Bío: Škoda driver Oliver Solberg can prematurely clinch the WRC2 title

› Navigated by Elliott Edmondson, Oliver Solberg (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) starts into the FIA World Rally Championship’s only event on the American continent as WRC2 leader
› WRC2 victory would secure Oliver Solberg the WRC2 title two rallies before season’s end
› Toksport WRT teammates Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) also fight for a WRC2 top position at the championship’s eleventh round

Mladá Boleslav, 25 September 2024 – Rally Chile Bio Bío (26-29 September 2024) is the eleventh round of the 13-event FIA World Rally Championship. However, the series’ only event in South America could already decide the race for the WRC2 title. Another victory in the category would see Swedish Škoda driver Oliver Solberg further extend his lead in the WRC2 standings and put him mathematically beyond the reach of his two rivals.

Three victories and two second places make up the season balance sheet for WRC2 leader Oliver Solberg. With one retirement, the drop result is already fixed for 22-year-old Swede. Rally Chile Bio Bío will be the last points scoring event for him and British co-driver Elliott Edmondson. Another win would take Solberg's tally from 111 to 136 points – enough to clinch the WRC2 title early.

Solberg's title rivals Sami Pajari and Yohan Rossel currently stand on 108 and 86 points respectively. Pajari has one more event to score points, but is not competing in WRC2 at Rally Chile Bio Bío. He can reach a maximum of 133 points. This means that a second place in WRC2 – worth 18 points – would not be enough for Oliver Solberg to mathematically secure the title already in Chile. Taking into account his personal drop result, Rossel's limit is 126 points. The Frenchman will go head-to-head with Oliver Solberg in Chile and afterwards has one more event to score points.

“I know how competitive my Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 is on fast gravel roads – and Rally Chile Bio Bío offers plenty of them. Last year, I won the WRC2 in Chile and I am quite confident that it is possible to repeat that success. But I will not think too much about the possible title,” Solberg looks ahead.

Solberg/Edmondson will also have to fight with other Škoda crews for WRC2 victory. At the top of the list are their Toksport WRT teammates Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson. The British-Swedish pairing finished second in WRC2 at last season's Rally Chile Bio Bío and won the category at this year's Safari Rally Kenya. Also aiming for top positions are Orlen Rally Team’s Kajetan Kajetanowicz/Maciej Szczepaniak from Poland and Fabrizio Zaldivar/Marcelo Der Ohannesian from Paraguay and Argentina respectively. The South Americans compete in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 entered by RaceSeven. Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Fabrizio Zaldivar are also rivals in the WRC2 Challenger classification.

Rally Chile Bio Bío offers 16 stages on fast gravel roads, often winding through forest scenery. The total competitive distance is 306.94 kilometres. A new Rally Village has been created for fans to follow the action on the Lota and Bio Bío stages. Ceremonial start kicks off the FIA World Rally Championship’s eleventh round on Thursday evening (26 September, 7h00 pm local time; 27 September 12h00 am CEST) in the city of Concepción. After three demanding legs, the podium ceremony is scheduled for Sunday (29 September, 3h30 pm local time, 8h30 pm CEST).

Did you know, that…
...Rally Chile Bio Bío was already a round of the FIA World Rally Championship in 2019 and returned in 2023 after a three-year break?

...Rally Chile Bio Bío is the only South American round on the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship calendar?

...that the rally takes place at the end of the Chilean winter season?

Standings WRC2/Drivers (after ten events)
1 Oliver Solberg (SWE), Škoda, 111 points (from 6 rallies)
2 Sami Pajari (FIN), Toyota, 108 Points (from 6 rallies)
3 Yohan Rossel (FRA), Citroën, 86 points (from 5 rallies)

Standings WRC2/Teams (after ten events)
1 AEC – DG Sport Competition, Citroën, 209 points
2 Toksport WRT, Škoda, 178 points
3 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT NG, Toyota, 73 points
4 Toksport WRT 2, Škoda, 72 points

2024 FIA World Rally Championship

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