2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg has startet his motorsport career in both, Bilcross and Rallycross. Now, after the Norwegian has pulled the plug on World Rallying, our prodigal son is back to be part of the Rallycross action again.

Not long ago Petter Solberg has released to fully concentrate on Rallycross from now on, but only confirmed a commitment to the 2013 European rounds of Great Britain, his native Norway and the neighbouring country of Sweden, as well as the four Global X Games events that will be rounds of the 2013 Global RallyCross Championship (Brazil, Spain, Germany and California).

However, today “Mister Hollywood” confirmed to the press that he is set for a full 2013 FIA European Rallycross Championship (ERX) campaign: “I never do anything only halfway. European Rallycross is my path now. It will be a real show this season, and I want me and my team to be part of it.”

The 38-years-old is currently working hard to get the deals with his sponsors as well as his all-new almost 600bhp strong Citroën DS3 SuperCar in place. The reason why Solberg had to drop the Official Test Day of the 2013 ERX series that takes place at Lydden Hill near Dover in England today.

“I’m sorry I do not have the opportunity to attend the series’ presentation, but I use every hour of the day to get all things ready for the season. We are in a very exciting and crucial stage right now. I really enjoy being back in my own team again. The car begins to take shape, and I can hardly wait to test it. After more than 15 years in the Rally circus with 300 horsepower engines it makes me smile to think of what I can do with double the power.”

As ERC24 understood the Citroën DS3 chassis is currently under construction with Ingvar Gunnarsson in Sweden, while its engine will come from the well respected “stut farm” of Julian Godfrey in England. When the body and the motor are ready the new SuperCar will be completed in Solberg’s own workshops in Torsby in Sweden, the hometown of his wife Pernilla. Pernilla’s father is the former factory driver for Volvo (R-Team/R-Sport) and 1980 FIA European Rallycross Champion Per-Inge Walfridsson. Now time will tell if Petter can walk in PI’s shoes to claim his own European Rallycross title. With Stig-Olov Walfridsson he will meet another relative in the series, “Stecka” is the youngest brother of Per-Inge and the uncle of Pernilla. 

Photo: Back to Rallycross action and old friends like Morten Bermingrud (left) and Tommy Rustad (right). © JKR/ERC24