Oliver Solberg ended a long wait with victory in Rally Chile, but he insists this result is the fruit of patience and persistence, not merely luck. The Swedish driver felt he had been in a position to win several times this year, but only now did everything come together.
"It's a big relief," he told DirtFish. "I had a small watering in my eyes after the stage because you work so hard, you try so hard. We've been so close many times this year, but there was always something."
Solberg now sits just 21 points behind championship leader Elfyn Evans, and four points behind his Toyota teammate Sami Pajari. Although he has won more stages than anyone in 2026, Chile was his first victory since the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally.
The young driver admitted the season has been full of lessons. He pinpointed Acropolis Rally as a turning point that made him realize a change of approach was needed. "Greece was the tipping point where we had to do something," he said. "I tried to be more patient, reset, and the results started to improve."
In Finland, Solberg felt he deserved to win but lost time in the rain, and in Paraguay he was leading before his car stopped. "We always got maximum Sunday and powerstage points, but the win didn't come. Now everything clicked."
With two rallies remaining, Solberg believes he can challenge for the title. He has three WRC victories, same as Pajari, and feels speed and rally management are no longer issues. "The key is patience. I've learned to wait for the right moment," he concluded.
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