World RX #GOAT Top Ten Countdown: Petter Solberg (2nd)

2nd: Petter Solberg

World RX Titles: 2
World RX Wins: 10
World RX Podiums: 30
Best Championship Finish: 1st (2014, 2015)

Petter Solberg began his illustrious career competing in rallycross in his native Norway in 1992, before turning his attentions to rallying and embarking upon a hugely decorated decade-and-a-half in the FIA World Rally Championship from 1998 to 2012 – yielding 13 victories and the 2003 Drivers’ trophy.

Solberg returned to rallycross in 2013, making his Supercar debut in the European Championship behind the wheel of a Citroën DS3 run by his own PSRX team and reaching the rostrum in both Portugal and France.

The following year, he made history – by becoming the inaugural FIA World Rallycross Champion and the first driver ever to clinch FIA World Championship crowns in two different disciplines, courtesy of five victories from 12 outings.

Known as ‘Hollywood’ to his many fans for his crowd-pleasing antics, the popular Norwegian successfully defended his title in 2015, and after finishing fourth in the standings in 2016, he joined forces with Volkswagen Sweden to form the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden outfit, replacing his trusty DS3 with a Volkswagen Polo.

In the team’s maiden campaign, Solberg rolled back the years with a vintage performance to triumph at Lydden Hill – the spiritual home of the sport – on his way to third in the points table, narrowly missing out on the runner-up spot but playing a vital role in PSRX Volkswagen Sweden’s acquisition of the Teams’ laurels.

In his final season in the top flight in 2018, the double champion added a further five podium finishes to his impressive tally en route to fifth in the classification.