Oliver Solberg is still nursing a back injury sustained at Rally Finland, but the Swede insists he is ready for the challenge of Rally Paraguay this weekend. He continues to wear an abdominal support as a precaution.
The injury happened on the first pass through the Himos stage on Sunday. Despite severe pain, Solberg pushed through the Power Stage, but afterwards he was unable to speak to the media. Now, in South America, he has given an update on his condition and the daunting task ahead.
“It was a heavy landing. It really hurt my back a lot and left it pretty badly bruised. To be honest, it’s a bit of a miracle that I even managed to do the Power Stage. I had to be carried out of the car and back into it and stuff like that. It was quite something,” Solberg recalled.
“I have this big support around my stomach just to keep everything a bit tighter. It’s only a precaution. Once I’m strapped in properly, everything should be fine,” he added.
Conditions at this weekend’s Rally Paraguay are expected to be extreme. If the forecast heavy rain arrives, all drivers will face a major challenge. Solberg even believes it could be worse than any African rally.
“And it doesn’t look like we’re only going to get a little bit of rain. To be honest, it looks more like Niagara Falls. When that rain comes, I think the conditions will be much, much worse than in Africa. That gives you an idea of just how difficult it can be here,” Solberg explained.
Tyre management will also be crucial. Solberg knows the current tyres are more puncture-prone than last year, and the rocky, rough roads add to the risk. “You need to drive well and be fast in this rally, but punctures will also play a part. It seems you need a bit of luck with those,” he concluded.
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