BLOMQVIST V SOLBERG

Two former WRC champions head the entries for next month’s Rally Sweden Historic.

Blomqvist
v Solberg
Two former WRC champions head the entries for next month’s Rally Sweden Historic.
Stig Blomqvist will celebrate the 30th anniversary of winning the 1984 drivers’ title by taking the wheel of a 1981 Audi Quattro in the two-day event, which supports the second round of the WRC.
He will be up against 2003 champion Petter Solberg, who won the historic event in 2013.
Blomqvist (pictured above) is a Rally Sweden legend, having won his home event on seven occasions. His first victory came in 1971 in a Saab 96 V4 and he completed straight wins in a similar vehicle in 1972 and 1973.
In 1977 he was triumphant in a Saab 99 EMS and two years later won in a Saab 99 Turbo. His final two wins in 1982 and 1984 came in a four-wheel drive Quattro and Quattro A2 respectively.
“It will be the old champion against the even older,” said Blomqvist of his battle against Solberg. “The owners of the car wanted us to enter, so we did. After that, financing the event just took a couple of days. I’m really, really looking forward to competing,” said Blomqvist, who will be partnered by Robert Jacobsson.
Petter Solberg in 2013 Rally Sweden Historic
Solberg’s Escort will be prepared by former co-driver Phil Mills’ Viking Motorsport operation and he will be co-driven by wife Pernilla. The Norwegian won Rally Sweden in 2005 in a Subaru Impreza.
The historic cars will be in action on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 February when they will follow the main WRC field through the opening loop of four stages on each day. Friday’s competition will end with the Karlstad super special stage and the city will host the finish on Saturday.
Forty-seven entries have been received and other drivers with WRC experience include Rally Sweden 2007 Group N winner Oscar Svedlund in a Quattro. Former Swedish champion Kenneth Backlund will drive an Escort.

wrc.com