Rally Chile’s stewards have dismissed Oliver Solberg’s protest against the notional time awarded to Yohan Rossel, which ultimately helped secure Rossel’s WRC2 victory.
The controversy began when Solberg, after suffering a puncture on SS11, re-entered the stage ahead of Rossel. The French driver, feeling that his pace was compromised by Solberg’s return, lodged a request for a notional time adjustment. Stewards granted Rossel 40 seconds, a decision Solberg contested, claiming the time given was excessive.
However, Solberg’s protest was deemed inadmissible by the stewards. They explained that under the FIA International Sporting Code, stewards are not permitted to review their own decisions via protest. Furthermore, since Solberg had already signaled his intention to appeal Stewards Decision No. 5, the matter now falls under the jurisdiction of the International Court of Appeal, taking it out of the current stewards’ hands.
In a statement, the stewards clarified:
“The Stewards conclude that the protest is inadmissible and likely the incorrect judicial process that the Competitor should undertake.”
Additionally, an investigation was held into allegations that Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson were not wearing their seatbelts properly after changing the puncture. However, onboard footage supported their account, and the stewards ruled that no further action was necessary.
With this ruling, Rossel’s WRC2 victory stands, while Solberg’s challenge will now have to play out through an appeal in a higher court.
