Petter Solberg has created history by becoming the first World Champion in two different FIA-sanctioned disciplines.
Solberg clinched the World Rallycross Championship in Italy to earn enough points with two rounds of the resurgent category remaining.
The title comes after the Norwegian climbed the pinnacle of rallying when he won the World Rally Championship in a factory Subaru Impreza in 2003.
The title overshadowed the event victory for Team Peugeot-Hansen driver Timmy Hansen who beat Richard Goransson.
PSRX driver Solberg’s effort to finish third sees him take an unassailable 60-point lead.
Topi Heikkinen is second in the points with one victory compared with Solberg’s four which gives the latter the title based on the higher number of event wins.
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“This hasn’t sunk in yet, it is a dream come true,” said Solberg.
“When I stopped rallying, I didn’t know what to do and then IMG took on rallycross and brought it to an amazing level so now it seemed like the right choice.
“I broke the right-rear suspension in the final and my spotter was shouting on the radio that I needed to calm down because all I needed to do was get to the podium and I would win the Championship.
“ I just wish my family were here today with me – my wife Pernilla and my son Oliver are back home because Oliver won the Norwegian Crosskart Championship yesterday.
The next round of the World Rallycross is scheduled for the former F1 venue of Intercity Istanbul Park in Turkey from October 11-12.
DRIVER POINTS AFTER ROUND 10, WORLD RX OF ITALY
1. Petter Solberg (PSRX), 235 points
2. Topi Heikkinen (VW Marklund), 175 points
3. Reinis Nitiss (Ford Olsbergs MSE), 167 points
4. Timmy Hansen (Peugeot-Hansen), 152 points
5. Timur Timerzyanov (Peugeot-Hansen), 148 points
6. Andreas Bakkerud (Ford Olsbergs MSE),146 points
TEAM POINTS AFTER ROUND 10, WORLD RX OF ITALY
1. Ford Olsbergs MSE, 313 points
1= Volkswagen Marklund, 313 points
3. Team Peugeot-Hansen, 300 points
4. PSRX, 227 points
5. Monster Energy World RX Team, 85 points
6. Albatec Racing, 32 points
British Touring Car Championship
Jason Plato soared to two wins but Colin Turkington edged closer to claiming the title after the BTCC round at Silverstone.
Plato (Triple Eight MG) finished fourth in the final 24-lap heat which was won by Mat Jackson in a Motorbase Ford Focus.
WSR BMW driver Turkington was a model of consistency across the three races finishing with two seconds and a third.
He has now moved to 417 points ahead of Plato on 367.
The meeting was marred by a nasty accident which saw Rob Collard taken to hospital for precautionary checks after complaining of pins and needles.
Collard’s West Surrey Racing BMW was side-swiped before rolling and landing on its roof in race two which saw the heat red flagged one lap from its 22-lap distance.
Collard had appeared to be the unwitting victim of an incident involving Gordon Shedden and Jack Clarke exiting Becketts.
Formula Renault 3.5
Carlos Sainz jr will have to wait until the final round after leaving the penultimate round of the Formula Renault 3.5 Championship perilously close to wrapping up the title.
Sainz jr scored a winning double in the 22-lap races, beating Red Bull junior and Arden driver Pierre Gasly on both occasions.
Matthieu Vaxiviere (Lotus) and Oliver Rowland (Fortec Motorsport) took third respectively in the two races.
Gasly had taken his maiden pole for the second race but DAMS driver Sainz jr benefitted from a blinding start to assume control from second on the grid early on.
Heading into the final round at Jerez from October 18-19, Sainz jr has 227 points with fellow Spaniard Robert Merhi second on 183, while Gasly is now out of contention in third spot on 172.
DTM
Audi broke its 2014 duck with Mattias Ekstrom winning the DTM race at Zandvoort.
In the safety car-strewn 43-lap race Ekstrom prevailed from championship leader Marco Wittmann with fellow BMW driver Martin Tomczyk.
Ekstrom pitted during the third of four Safety Car periods when he switched onto the softer option Hankook tyre, eventually cutting his way to the lead with 10 laps remaining.
With one round remaining champion-elect Wittmann, who has been the class of the season, goes into the Hockenheim dead rubber on October 19 with 146 points while Ekstrom moved to 81.
VIDEO:DTM Zandvoort Highlights
VIDEO:Rob Collard survives a scary BTCC shunt at Silverstone
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