WRC Backstories: Oliver Solberg

From winning Rally Finland to being chased by five teams to winning the World Championship in his first full season, Marcus Grönholm rise to the top was as rapid as his driving. While his driving made him a legend within rallying, it was his end-of-stage quips that made him truly transcendent. Finally, the two-time world champion has sat down with Becs Williams for one of the most-anticipated Backstories ever.

Rising before dawn and switching off the lights each night in the team service areas is just one of the daily sacrifices required to be a mechanic in the FIA World Rally Championship and no one knows this better than Garry Barker. Currently serving his 26th season working for M-Sport World Rally Team, Barker has picked up a story or two along the way, working with nearly every modern day WRC champion from Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz through to Sébastiens Ogier and Loeb. He is ready to share these now with Becs Williams on the latest edition of WRC Backstories.

One of only four co-drivers to start more than 200 FIA World Rally Championship events, Jonas Andersson finds himself in elite company and despite closing in on his 50th birthday, is not ready to contemplate life post-rallying - quite the opposite in fact!   Sitting in with Becs Williams on the latest edition of WRC Backstories, the official WRC podcast, the Swede opens up on what made him switch from driver and to co-driver early in his career, reminisces on the early days of scooping two Junior WRC titles and spills the tea on navigating multiple drivers through different eras of WRC competition.    With his WRC2 season about to begin alongside Gus Greensmith, Jonas reveals the targets for this season and shares some personal goals for his future career.

From eSports WRC world champion to preparing for a Rallye Monte-Carlo debut in a Rally1 car, Jon Armstrong’s journey to the elite level of rallying is one of boyhood dreams, as well as example of incredible perseverance as the Irishman worked his way up the rallying pyramid. Hear his incredible story, in his own words, as told to Becs Williams in the first edition of WRC Backstories for 2026.

Perhaps most famous for a line he never delivered, Timo Rautiainen has been a central figure in the WRC for more than three decades. A two-time world champion co-driver, Rautiainen was well versed at reading regulations and rules with a fine-toothed comb, setting him up perfectly for his post-co-driver career, as an FIA sporting delegate. Now, the self-declared 'nerd' sits down with Becs Williams for the final Backstories of 2025.

Fresh off being crowned WRC2 champion, Oliver Solberg took time to reflect on what could be a career-defining season, as the latest guest on Becs Williams' WRC Backstories. A story most think they may already know, Solberg reveals the pain of 2023, the mentorship of Séb Ogier and why he pushes back on studying video on rally preparation

As you would expect, former Hyundai Motorsport team principal Andrea Adamo is not holding back, still showing that famous passion that helped drive Hyundai Motorsport to their first-ever manufacturers' title. Easily one of the most recognisable, and sometimes most divisive characters in the WRC, Adamo reveals to Becs Williams some of the biggest achievements in his career, from snagging then-world champion Ott Tänak to of course that historic title. The all-new episode of Backstories is streaming now!

For better or worse, Mads Østberg is a competitor who wears his heart on his sleeve, making him one of the most relatable drivers in rallying. Whilst still competing at the top level behind the wheel, the recently engaged Norwegian is also enjoying a natural progression to life behind the mic - becoming essential listening when he steps into the booth next to Becs Williams. And his edition of Backstories next to his co-commentator Williams is nothing less than what you would expect from Østberg: frank, honest and relatable.

Fast-tracked into the WRC in 2024 on the back of some head-turning dominant performances on gravel at European Championship level, anybody who did not know the name Mārtiņš Sesks before ORLEN 80th Rally Poland was left in no doubt following one of the most-talked about WRC debuts in history. But debut success does not automatically guarantee a seat at the top table of rallying. Listen to the 25-year-old Latvian’s story, as told to Becs Williams in this month’s edition of WRC Backstories, official podcast of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Calling the office of Polish rallying legend Sobiesław Zasada every day for five months to get a meeting, before moving his entire life to the north-west of England to work for Malcolm Wilson, determination has never been an issue for Maciej Woda. Becs Williams delves deep into Woda’s rise through the ranks of Wilson’s workshop to now running M-Sport Poland and becoming one of the most recognisable faces in the service park as the boss of the FIA Junior WRC.