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Solberg's son set for World RX debut

Triple FIA world champion Petter Solberg could be joined by son Oliver in a round of the World Rallycross Championship later this year.

Petter Solberg, PSRX Volkswagen Sweden, VW Polo GTi with his son Oliver Solberg

Petter Solberg, PSRX Volkswagen Sweden, VW Polo GTi with his son Oliver Solberg

Petter Solberg RX Team

The 16-year-old is also eyeing up the possibility of racing full-time in the European Rallycross Championship next season, that also takes place at World RX events.

Solberg Jr became the youngest ever Supercar racer last year, when he raced his father's title-winning Citroen DS3 Supercar in the Rally X Nordic series, aged 15.

Currently leading the 2018 RallyX Nordic standings thanks to two victories from three rounds, Solberg Jr entered the Swedish round of Euro RX at Holjes recently but was placed on the reserve list for the event.

"I think we will try the race in Latvia (in September) because I've tried the track and its really good fun," Solberg Jr told Motorsport.com. "We'll see, I'll enter and we'll see if I'm allowed."

Asked if he will enter the Euro RX or World RX Supercar category in Riga, Solberg said: "I think World RX will be tough with the car for this track, with it being only tarmac.

"It's a nice track and its more for fun because it's no championship fight, just to try how the level is. If I don't enter European then I'll enter World, I don't know exactly yet."

Solberg competes in rallycross and rallying using a Latvian license. He is set to take part in Monster Energy's Gymkhana Grid event in South Africa at the end of the year in the Citroen Supercar and could race in the final round of World RX the week before in Cape Town.

"It would be fun, I asked if they could take the shipping a bit earlier to do the World round," he said. "Oliver Eriksson did it last year and he did quite good and we are competing against each other on the same level this year in Nordic, so it would be cool to try out. It's a cool track with a lot of gravel so I think the car feels perfect."

The young driver is also eyeing a move to Euro RX Supercar next season to increase his experience.

"I'm not allowed to do rally so much in other places (currently, due to his age). I think maybe European (rallycross) or something like that with the Citroen would be good for the speed and the experience to be consistent and calm with my driving. It would be good practice for rally and it's fun."

Solberg Jr tested his mother Pernilla's cousin Lukas Walfridsson's Renault Clio Supercar in Latvia last week but running was cut short by electrical issues.

Both he and Petter then took part in the Norges Raeste Bakkelop hillclimb in Norway last weekend. Driving his father's Citroen Xsara WRC, Oliver won the event and beat the hill record by more than five seconds, while Petter drove his historic specification Ford Escort MkII.

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