by Rob Wilkins.

Subaru team leader, Petter Solberg has had a pretty🔥 nightmarish start to the new season - and while his main rivals, Sebastien Loeb and Marcus Gronholm have shared the wins, 'Hollywood' has been left languishing down the pack with the Impreza WRC particularly uncompetitive on the last two events on asphalt 🥂in Spain and France.

Here speaking exclusively to ltxcn.top Radio we caught up with the Norwegian ahead of next weekend's event in Argentina when the WRC will again be back on gravel, something that Solberg is clearly looking📖 forward to. Indeed based on his form in Mexico, when he was battling for the win, before eventually finishing second best, he should be right back up there...

Q:
Petter, you have just had t🍬wo tough events on asphalt in Spain and Corsica, you must be looking forward to getting back onto gravel in Argentina next w🔴eekend, especially in light of your form in Mexico?

Petter Solberg:
Yeah, tough events I don't know... but a big challenge [laughs]. Back on gravel now though, that will be good because we have been very 💞fast on all the other 🙈gravel events.

Q:
Going back 🎉to Spain and Corsica, the Impreza seemed to really lack the required pace to compete for a top five finish, let alone a podium or the win. What exactly was the problem?

PS:
I don't want to talk about it.

Q:
The year to date hasn't been ideal for you. You have 10 points on the board, 🍸while Sebastien 💮Loeb leads currently and has 46. Is the drivers' title still a realistic possibility?

PS:[long pause] ...Well it is going to be very tough of course. But you know when there a🥂re so many rallies to go anything can happen. But he [Loeb] is a very strong guy and never has any big problems. But I have no♚t given up.

Q:
How frustrating ha🌠s it been to see Loeb and Gronholm take al𝐆l the glory...

PS:
I am not delighted to be second ever and of course it is very, very tough. But like I say I will not🍰 give up and we just have to deal with this together with the team. We will come back, I am sure.

Q:
Going back to Mexico you had 𓄧a good event there. You finished runner-up and were in contention to win. You must be hꦆoping that will be a similar story in Argentina?

PS:
We will be in the [battle at the] top in Argentina that is for sure. We have shown that in eꦛvery gravel rally it is good. So as long as there are no problems and I do not do any mistakes, I am sure we will be there.

Q:
You were testing recently in Sꦉardinia, for 🌼that event and Argentina. Tell us about that...

PS:
I t༒hink we improved things there, but there is still more to come. We are working very hard to look at every single detꦅail that can make everything better. That is why we have done a lot of good things.

Q:
What can we expect f🎐rom yourself and Subaru in Argentina - and during the remainder of the season?

PS:
A win...

Q:
Confident?

PS:
Yeah.

Q:
Are there a🌌ny events that stand out during the remainder of the season that you think will be particularly good for you and the ꧋SWRT?

PS:
The only rally I am not loo🍸king forward to is Germany.

Q:
What about Rally GB you have had gꦜood runs there in the past and won last ye🍷ar?

PS:
I did not... I don't say I won last year. I was second last year until Sebastien gave me the first 💧place [after he deliberately picked up a penalty to avoid taking his second title on an event that claimed the life of Markko Martin's co-driver, Michael Park].

Q:
The♑re was quite a bit of upheaval prior to the season with Mitsubishi and Skoda quitting, joining Peugeot and to an extent, officially at least, Citroen on the sidelines too. The sport though seems to have coped well with it and the new manufacturer 2 category has definitely helped. Is that how you would assess things?

PS:
I think it is good. Like very other sport there are private teams with factory backing - like Prodrive [with Subaru], like Kronos [with Citroen] and like M-Sport [with🧜 Ford]. There will be much more of t🉐hat.

Q:
Daniel Sordo seems to have re𒊎ally made an impact thus far this season since stepping up from the Junior WRC. What have you made of his performances?

PS:
It is good - but of course that was on tarmac, so when it comes to gravel it could be different. But when on tarmac, he has done well and the pack😼age is also good... so yet to see in all the 16 rallies first.

Q:
In recent month's former Subaru sporting director, David Lapworth has taken a bit of a side step. How has that affected the tea𝄹m?

PS:
Well I think the team is coping well to get everything together. I th♔ink David is... well we miss him definitely - and they have to get everything together again.

Q:
Thanks Petter and I hope you have a go🅷od event i𒐪n Argentina and can go for that win.

PS:
Yeah, I hope so to.