Traffic Safety Project

Petter Solberg introduced the second part of a Traffic Safety project in Stavanger today.

The project is a cooperation between Petter Solberg and Rogaland County, and started in 2010. The aim is to raise young drivers awareness of traffic safety on the road. Studies done after the first year of the project shows that the numbers of accidents where young drivers are involved is reduced in this area.

As a part of this project, three young drivers are chosen to attend Petter Solbergs Rally-School. They will learn about every step of the process, from talking to sponsors to preparing the car. There will also be drive-days, were Petter will be present.

Rally Portugal 2011

Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson fly through the final day of Rally Portugal

Another fastest time for Petter and Chris came on the second stage of the final morning, Santa de Sierra, the longest of the rally, which would be run again as the Power Stage.

The day had started with a third place in SS14 where Petter reported that he wasn’t completely happy with the set up but promised that with a few improvements in service they would be even faster on the two final stages.

Petter and Chris flew through SS16, setting yet another fastest time and moving up two places overall to 7th as planned. Citroën’s Sebastien Loeb charged through to win the final Power Stage, closely followed by Ford’s Jari-Matti Latvala. Sebastien Ogier won rally Portugal, with Loeb taking second place. Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen secured third and fourth place for Ford.

Petter and Chris finished the day in 6th position overall having climbed back from 20th by winning six of the rally’s seventeen stages, overcoming the punctures and resulting retirement of day one and the time penalty of rejoining under SupeRally regulations.

- I have been going absolutely flat out for three days now, says Petter Solberg. – The car is working perfectly and I could have done nothing more, so I have to be happy about the 6th and the points we now have in the championship. It’s too bad about the Power Stage, but I had no chance as it was drying up for the guys who started after me.

Again, we have proved that we have the speed, and if we hadn’t been that unlucky on Friday with the four punctures….. Well, who knows!

The next event is Jordan rally 14th -16th April 2011

Overall classification Rally Portugal 2011
1. Sebastien Ogier, Citroën
2. Sebastien Loeb, Citroën +31,8
3. Jari-Matti Latvala, Ford +3.22,1
4. Mikko Hirvonen, Ford +6.16,3
5. Matthew Wilson, Ford +7.48,5
6. Petter Solberg, Citroën +10.17,4
7. Kimi Raikkonen, Citroën +10.54,1
8. Federico Villagra, Ford +11.38,8
9. Henning Solberg, Ford +14.16,4
10. Dennis Kuipers, Ford +17.54,6