The World Rally Championship will take centre stage at one of world motorsport’s biggest summer events – this week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

As well as celebrating the life and career of the first-ever World Rally Champion Björn Waldegård, the Festival organisers have promised a feast of rally action from Thursday until Sunday.

Ten cars from the Swede’s time in the sport have been assembled, including the 1974 Porsche 911 he drove on the Safari Rally.

Six-time world champion Sébastien Ogier will draw a crowd in his Citroën C3 WRC. The Frenchman’s looking forward to getting among the fans in the south of England.

“It’s an honour to be involved in this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed,” said Ogier. “It’s not very often that you get to interact so closely with the fans and see such a range of iconic vehicles all in one place. I’m really looking forward to driving the C3 WRC in this year’s hillclimb. Obviously, the challenge is to beat last year’s run, but I am also aiming for the Sunday Shootout list.”

Ogier’s team-mate Esapekka Lappi will also be in attendance, along with M-Sport Ford World Rally Team star Elfyn Evans who drives his usual Ford Fiesta WRC.

Another Ford not to miss will be the ex-Colin McRae Focus driven by his brother Alister.

Triple FIA world champion Petter Solberg and his son Oliver will thrill fans with a range of cars from the Solberg stable.

Petter’s delighted to be back, adding: “Goodwood is a fantastic event. I always love to come here. It’s so cool to see the guys like Ogier and everybody from rallying, but at the same time you also see so many drivers from the other areas like Formula 1 and Endurance.

“Because of other commitments, I haven’t been able to make it for the last few years, but it’s great to be back and back with Oliver. Driving at an event with him is something I’m really looking forward to.”

Solberg Jr, who recently became the youngest driver ever to win a round of the European Rally Championship, will be one of the star attractions on the Rally Forest Stage, where he will use the Subaru WRX STI he guided to victory on the recent Olympus Rally in America.

Oliver’s film Born2Drive will also be screened at the Festival of Speed on Friday evening.

Group B is always well served by Goodwood and this year’s no exception with four-time world champion Juha Kankkunen leading an outstanding entry of Audis, Lancias and MG Metro 6R4s in a Peugeot 205 T16.

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