NAIROBI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Racing in the 2021 WRC Safari Rally scheduled for June 24-27 in Kenya will be a dream come true for Swedish-Norwegian teenager driver Oliver Solberg.
The 19-year-old was not yet born when his father Petter Solberg debuted at the event in 1999 in a Ford Focus.
Then aged 24 and one of the youngest in Ford's team at the time, the elder Solberg finished a credible fifth.
And having grown around racing machines, the younger Solberg is keen on emulating his father by making an impact at Africa's most prestigious rally as part of the expected international field that will take part in the 2021 Safari.
"It is one of my dream races to do. My father has a lot of memories and stories and I have seen a lot of adventures that are there. I think it will be an amazing experience so for sure my dream is to go to the Safari Rally," Oliver told the event's Facebook channel on Thursday.
Born on September 23, 2001, Oliver is one of the fastest rising WRC drivers and is expected to drive in the WRC2 competition in a Hyundai R5.
He earned his place in the Safari when his father met with retired Kenyan rally ace, Phineas Kimathi, in 2019.
Kimathi, who is now the president of Kenya Motorsport Federation and the CEO of WRC Safari Rally Limited asked Petter whether his son could come and race in Kenya and this was consented.
Oliver is happy to relive his father's tales and looking forward to making the journey to Kenya where the Safari Rally makes a return to the world circuit after - just like his age - 19 years out in the cold.
"He (my father) says it is one of the best places he has been. I have also heard some crazy stories, but we can't take them, and I think hopefully I can go there, and I can get the same experience he got 20 years ago," Oliver added.
Senior Solberg, the 2003 world champion, returned to Kenya in 2000 with Subaru World Rally Team and registered another fifth finish.
The 2000 Safari was held on open roads unlike the 2021 edition that will run on closed roads due to safety concerns.
Nonetheless, Oliver thinks the Safari has not been diluted.
"It will be very different now unlike in the past but still it is a great opportunity as my dad tells me of stages, fans, people everywhere, it is indeed incredible," he remarked.
Oliver and Kalle Rovenpera, 20, of Finland are listed as the youngest drivers.
Kalle is son of Harri Rovenpera, who finished second in the 2000 Safari driving a Peugeot 206 WRC behind Tommi Makinen in a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO.
Both are on the verge of breaking a world record of the youngest WRC champions.
"In the near future now, it is going to be a big fight between Kalle and I. But we will see. It will be a very long way," the younger Solberg remarked.
"If you try to come into the WRC and give Kalle a challenge, I will for sure fight," he said.
"There also are many more young drivers coming up so, for sure, there will be a lot of new drivers in the WRC in the future giving everybody a huge fight."
Oliver aspires to be a world champion in the second tier WRC2 competition before mixing it up with the big boys in the WRC in the coming seasons. Enditem