If you spend just five minutes with the Solberg family, it’s virtually impossible not to get wrapped up in the unadulterated and infectious passion they exude for rallying.
Rallying is very much a family affair for the Solbergs. Petter made the surname a household one around the world when he and Phil Mills took the famous blue and yellow factory Subaru to the world title in 2003. His wife Pernilla, the daughter of Swedish rally great Per-Inge Walfridsson, was a rally driver of some repute competing on the world stage in 1990s, and now their son Oliver Solberg is one of the WRC’s bright young talents.
When it comes to rallying there is not much the Solbergs haven’t seen or experienced. With the WRC entering a period of transition, as it searches for a formula that can inspire a return to the championship’s golden era, passionate and knowledgeable people are required to steer it in the right direction.
Analysis: What the FIA's radical changes could mean for WRC
Last month the FIA revealed its roadmap for the future which included widespread reforms to technical and sporting regulations and its promotion. The announcement also featured a significant change to the FIA World Rally Championship Commission, the organisation that plays a role in enacting change. Step forward, the new nominated president, Pernilla Solberg.
“I wanted to be involved in motorsport more, but it would need to be in rallying,” Pernilla tells Autosport. “You have no idea if you will be the candidate they choose and then I was told I would be the president of the commission and I was like 'wow'. It is super exciting.
“I feel everybody in the service park, they want things to change whether it is something on an event or for the future, and I feel like I would really like to work on those things. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity and have a deeper purpose. It is really something I look forward to. It is exciting times, and a lot of things are happening.”
Pernilla couldn’t be more correct. There is indeed “a lot of things happening” as the FIA showcased to the world its vision for the future of the WRC. This action from the world motor sport governing body follows criticism of the championship’s perceived appeal from drivers, teams and fans last year. This roadmap aims to address the issues that range from declining entries in the top Rally1 class, attracting more manufacturers to the championship and revitalising event formats and their promotion.
The FIA aims to implement changes from next year. It plans to address costs by removing hybrid units from Rally1 cars, while the performance of these cars will be pegged back through changes to aerodynamics and to the air restrictor.
From 2026 a new set of Rally1 regulations will be introduced which aims to entice more marques to the championship in addition to current players Toyota, Hyundai, and Ford, through M-Sport. The 2026 cars will be based on the Rally1 car concept, producing around 330 horsepower and capped at €400,000.
The FIA is hopeful that WRC events will feature more variety through less rigid formats with a mixture of endurance and sprint-style rallies populating the calendar. A move to more flexible formats has been among one of the most called for changes by drivers and co-drivers last season.
"It is difficult at the moment, but we have to really believe that we can all do something great for the future. It is a great sport, and we need to take care of it" Pernilla Solberg
It was among the raft of ideas that Pernilla played an active role in collating from meeting with crews throughout last season, an extensive list that was eventually presented to the FIA. Now the vision has been realised, it is up to the stakeholders to work together with FIA to help the WRC navigate to a brighter future. This is where Pernilla has a part to play as president of the WRC Commission, which will now discuss these proposals before they are presented in their final form to the World Motor Sport Council in June. The WRC Commission features representatives from the FIA, the WRC Promoter, the manufacturers, event organisers, the control tyre manufacturer and Toyota co-driver Scott Martin, who is the driver/co-driver representative.
While this role is a new chapter in Pernilla’s career it is one she brings a wealth of experience too. The Swede has seen it from both sides of the fence, from being a frontrunner in rallying’s Group N class in the 1990s to being team principal of the PSRX team in the World Rallycross Championship before it exited the discipline in 2019. During this period, she also served as a member of the FIA Technical Working Group for rallycross, so is aware of the inner workings of FIA commissions.
“The president of the commission is to make sure meetings are held regularly and that when a proposal is made it is handled correctly and that people are prepared when they come to meetings and be prepared to vote as this is where we vote about changes,” Solberg adds. “I also want people to think that they can come with ideas and proposals so it is exciting how we can push this forward now.
“I think since I have experience in many different areas, having been a driver and having a team in rallycross, I know how much cooperation between the promoter and the organisers is important. I feel I have experience in many different areas, and I like to work in a team. I want to create a team to push things forward.”
So, what is at the top of the agenda for Solberg in her role as president? Well, it comes as no surprise that she wants to tackle the biggest issues the WRC is currently wrangling.
“First of all, I want to have a list of all these new proposals from the FIA announcement and things that we feel are super crucial in trying to attract more manufacturers to the sport,” Solberg says. “If you have more manufacturers, you create more seats and more entries in the top class, but also I want to see the teams that are competing get more value for the investment and have a proper return on the investment. This is what I feel we can get better at.
“Those would be the two things that I see now before starting the role. From the outside looking in, this is what I would like to do, have more PR, more of a show and more marketing.”
The FIA has made it clear with its vision for the future that this is the first step on journey and that the WRC will undergo two years of transition before it reaches its desired objectives in 2027. Delivering these ambitious goals is going to be challenge, but in Solberg the FIA has selected a person who has an infectious passion and drive to bring positive change to the WRC.
“You have to be hopeful,” she concludes. “I need to be looking at it very positively and I am. It is difficult at the moment, but we have to really believe that we can all do something great for the future. It is a great sport, and we need to take care of it and make sure it grows into something bigger.”
