FIA World Rallycross Championship Press Office

Two-time World RX Champion Petter Solberg and last year’s World RX vice-champion Johan Kristoffersson will contest The 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy in a pair of Volkswagen Polo RX Supercars that have been developed and engineered in Hanover, Germany.

Solberg will be responsible for the sporting operations of the new team supported by Volkswagen Sweden and its distributors. The squad is based on Solberg’s rallycross outfit for the last three years, but with cars coming – along with technical support – from Volkswagen Motorsport in Germany. The team headquarters will remain in Torsby, Sweden.

An elated Solberg said the deal was the one he’d been waiting for. “This is the dream,” explained the Norwegian. "With backing from Volkswagen Sweden and the top-notch Johan Kristoffersson as my team-mate, everything is possible. From the start, we are aiming at gold in the championship, this is my priority for 2017: I want to take this for my PSRX Team and for Volkswagen Sweden.”

Solberg added, “My team has worked so hard for so many years to be in the position to make this deal and now we’re here, it’s fantastic. It really is the dream for me. We have so much potential now, but we also have a lot of work to do – but what an incredible future we are working towards now. Everything in the world is possible and achievable now.”

Kristoffersson also spoke positively regarding the new collaboration with Solberg. He commented, “I am incredibly proud to be part of this extremely exciting project with Petter and Volkswagen Sweden - it’s a dream come true in every way. Together we will do everything in our power to achieve success - I intend to grab this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with both hands.”

Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets concluded, “We are very much looking forward to working together with Petter, Johan and Volkswagen Sweden in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Petter’s team and Volkswagen Sweden will take care of the operation of the whole project. This strong co-operation provides everything needed to be successful.”

Round one of the 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship will commence in Barcelona (1-2 April). The World Championship consists of 12 legs and concludes in Cape Town, South Africa, in mid-November.