The difficult learning of Rally1

Après seulement quelques mètres de course, la Hyundai i20 Rally1 d’Oliver Solberg s’est immobilisée en miettes au milieu des arbres et le Suédois a commencé à sangloter. Dans le chrono suivant, Adrien fourmaux deviated slightly from the trajectory when braking and his wheel hit a stone which damaged his suspension. Unlike Solberg, the Northerner did not cry and, above all, he was able to continue the test even without hope of a good result.

What was to be done with Oliver after his mistake? Rip up the contract and send it back to Rally2? Should training be limited to giving a chance in a few races, during which everything must be perfect, otherwise the sanction is immediate? At this rate, the plateau is not about to be renewed. Take Sébastien as an example Loeb, Sébastien Ogier or Kalle Rovanperä claiming that they were good straight away is a cruel lack of discernment. As in all sports, there are on one side the extraterrestrials and, on the other, the vast majority of needy people who will perhaps never be champions, but who will have no possibility of trying if no one puts their foot down. Should we not give promising talents time to grow? Ott Tänak proves that yes. The Estonian toiled for several seasons before arriving painfully in WRC. Commettant trop de fautes, il en a été expulsé, puis il était revenu encore plus fort. Si Malcolm Wilson n’avait pas décidé de lui redonner sa chance, où serait-il aujourd’hui ? Dans le cas de Fourmaux, le patron de M-Sport aurait pu le mettre sur la touche ou le rétrograder en WRC2, mais est-ce que cela aurait servi à quelque chose ? Les réponses sont les mêmes pour Oliver. Quel bénéfice aurait-il retiré de retourner en Rally2 quand les autos sont si différentes qu’il faudra de nouveau tout réapprendre en remontant dans une Rally1 ?

A name too heavy to bear?

How many test kilometers did Loeb and Ogier swallow to progress? Today, the rules are terrible for young people. Oliver had one test day for Estonia and one for Finland. Fourmaux only 1 in Tartu. It's not much to tackle this sprint in the forests by discovering the Rally1. Questioning training and sending these brats home is both easy and stupid, because there is no silver bullet to substitute. Taking veterans like Mads Østberg, Kris Meeke or Andreas Mikkelsen who had their chance and were disappointing? How would the WRC benefit from this? This would not provide a viable answer since young people would have no outlet after WRC2.

Regularity and the ability to move past incidents to better return to combat can only be acquired in the field. One of the concerns that Oliver Solberg also faces is that he has a well-known name. Is he strong enough to handle such pressure? Why did he absolutely want to show that he is going fast when, at Hyundai, they mainly want him to train? Oliver was presented as the new nugget after a few successful events in lower categories, but since he is in a WRC or a Rally1, it is complicated. Perhaps, for his development, he should think about running for himself and no longer to be like dad. It wouldn't be the first time in sport that family love has become toxic. The hardest part for the Swede will be to digest and regain confidence before facing a huge challenge in Ypres.

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