Solberg is Hollywood

I was thrilled to read that Petter Solberg has landed himself a decent deal with VW to continue in the World Rallycross Championship in 2017 and beyond ( Motorsport News, January 11).

The championship’s promoters IMG must be pretty pleased too, because he certainly is the box office draw when it comes to engaging with the fans and helping to take the sport to a new level.

The World Rallycross Championship is rapidly becoming my favourite type of racing: big names, great events and superb racing.

With Sebastien Loeb joining the series too in 2016, plus the regular frontrunners like Mattias Ekstrom, the level at the head of the field is very high. If only we could add Jenson Button into this mix too (please), then the category could go even further.

The only downside is the loss of Lydden Hill on the calendar. It is the home of the sport, very accessible to those who want to come from mainland Europe and has an atmosphere all of its own.

I just hope Silverstone, the new UK venue, can live up to the hype. Jason Lowe Via email