Petter Solberg deltok i et arrangement for å minne Colin McRae og Michael Park denne helgen. Les mer i denne pressemeldingen på engelsk.
It was a weekend that started in Scotland and ended in Wales, as Petter Solberg joined events to remember and celebrate two of the World Rally Championship’s finest competitors.
The 30th anniversary of Colin McRae’s 1995 World Rally Championship title was honoured with the International McRae Rally Challenge at the Knockhill circuit, just north of Edinburgh. Petter attended Saturday’s first full day of that event, before flying to Wales for the Welsh Motorsport and Supercar Festival at Pembrey Circuit on Sunday – where he helped celebrate the life of one of the WRC’s finest co-drivers Michael ‘Beef’ Park.
Petter said: “Colin and Beef were two people that meant so much to me and to the whole sport. It was a real honour to be invited to these events to join family and friends in celebrating their lives.
“This was my first visit to Knockhill and this part of Scotland for the International McRae Rally Challenge – what a fantastic day and night. Since the start of my career, I have been close with the whole McRae family, so to go there and spend time with them all was so nice.
“Talking to people like Dario and Marino Franchitti, Sir Chris Hoy and, of course, David [Richards], Derek [Ringer] and Luis [Moya], Louise [Aitken-Walker] and Gwyndaf [Evans] was really cool – to share stories about Colin was a lot of fun.
“Seeing the whole family out there driving, with Max winning the rally and Alister and Colin’s wife Alison both driving some of his rally cars… it was fantastic. And incredible that it was Jimmy’s 50th year in competition – so cool to see him and Colin’s daughter Hollie competing in an Escort.
“The meal on Saturday night was amazing, seeing Alison modelling the race suit I donated for the auction was something I won’t forget for a long time.
“The emotions were really the same on Sunday, when I got to Wales. To see Phil [Mills], Daniel [Elena] and Beef’s family was incredible. Wales is somewhere I feel close to with Phil coming from there and, of course, the success we had at Rally GB. The welcome from both events was fantastic and it was a really nice weekend to remember both Beef and Colin.
“Like Colin always said: ‘We’re here for a good time, not for a long time.’ It’s true. We have to make the most of everyday.
“I want to thank the organisers of both events for having me. It was a privilege to be there for both, to remember and celebrate the lives and successes of Colin and Beef – but also to make more memories I will never forget.