WRC
Monte Carlo Rally – Solberg heavily penalized… for drifting in the streets of Monaco
© Bastien Roux / DPPI
As we know, Oliver Solberg is a rebel who likes to put on a show in front of the spectators. Already in 2023, at the end of the Rally From Portugal, the Swede was given a one-minute penalty for having made donuts on the Lousada rallycross circuit, at the finish of the 15th special. It must be believed that this sanction did not calm him down, nor cool him down, because the young driver Toyota did it again on Sunday, after the finish of the Monte-Carlo Rally! After his ceremonial passage on the podium, the son of the 2003 world champion boasted of a beautiful but dangerous slide – a drift – on the Fairmont hairpin, a bend well known to fans of Formula 1.
While the spectators present on site loved the Scandinavian's stunt, this drift was not at all to the taste of the race stewards, who decided to bang their fists on the table and apply a heavy sanction as a result. On Sunday evening, a few hours after the official arrival in Monaco, the race management decided to sanction Oliver Solberg with a five-minute penalty for his maneuver!
No impact for Solberg in WRC2
"The stewards reviewed the video evidence. The incident occurred on the stretch of road leading to the final podium in the Principality of Monaco, at the "Fairmont" corner. The driver admitted that he was driving sideways in front of the spectators. The driver apologised for his mistake, adding that in his opinion he did not create a dangerous situation.", the FIA and the stewards stated in the report of their decision.
"The stewards examined the case in detail and concluded that a potentially dangerous situation had been created because the driver of car no. 20 was approaching a corner in drift mode and many people were standing in the corner. Article 12.18 of the Supplementary Regulations of the 93rd Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo states that exhibition driving is strictly prohibited everywhere due to the lack of suitable space. The stewards therefore decided that the driver of car no. 20 had failed to comply with the regulations and applied the [five-minute] time penalty."
A heavy penalty that relegates Oliver Solberg to 15th place in the general classification of this Rallye Monte-Carlo – Jan Cerny (Citroën) and Roberto Dapra (Skoda) thus gaining one place each – and to 8th place in the Rally2 category. However, this sanction has no impact on his season, since the Swede had not included the Rallye Monte-Carlo among his seven rallies counting towards his WRC2 championship. He was therefore not eligible for points this weekend.
ALSO READ > Sébastien Ogier's 10 victories at the Monte Carlo Rally under the microscope
Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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Romu
29/01/2025 at 09:26 a.m.
Shouldn't Ogier then be subject to the same sanction for zigzagging on the open road in order to warm up his tires? It's a dangerous practice, just like Neuville's which earned him a €10.000 fine. Besides, why a fine and not a time penalty for him? (No doubt he had already lost enough and this was an opportunity to make easy money) In short: always double standards :-/
Etienne
28/01/2025 at 09:17 a.m.
Rules that destroy the sport and its warm side with its supporters, ridiculous. I don't even go there anymore, just refreshment bars and little chefs!
Bou
28/01/2025 at 11:35 a.m.
Hello, I completely agree with them. I don't understand why Olivier Solberg was penalized knowing that Tic-Toc sends videos that several pilots did exactly the same thing.
Jp
28/01/2025 at 09:46 a.m.
Number of fishing for morons if we start penalizing all the more or less important infractions of the competitors there will be no one left at the finish
Patrick
28/01/2025 at 08:31 a.m.
Did the FIA see Ogier on a video cutting a corner with almost all 4 wheels off the track? Am I the only one?
Serge Aquilina
27/01/2025 at 08:19 a.m.
Sentence deserved. Endangerment of others which recalls the actions of our miserable neighborhoods.
Homage to the bird
27/01/2025 at 06:11 a.m.
The FIA should make them race on 24 circuits! La-men-table...
DANIEL MEYERS
27/01/2025 at 11:17 a.m.
The FIA in its ridiculous splendor. As for the explanation of the facts: "After his protocol passage on the podium" "The incident occurred on the section of road leading to the final podium" We should know!
Lejeune
27/01/2025 at 11:14 a.m.
Still and always the famous spelling "Auto Hebdo style"...