Sixth in the final drivers' standings – four points behind fifth-placed team-mate Chris Atkinson, who rolled spectacularly out of WRGB at the end of the opening day – may be Solberg's equal-lowest championship finish since 2001, but his fourth position in the Welsh forests did at least secure Subaru third spot in the teams' title chase.

What's more, with the Rally Acropolis-introduced Impreza WRC 2008 – the Japanese manufacturer's first new rally car in eight years – displaying considerable promise, the Prodrive-run concern's team principal David Richards is confident that in 2009 Subaru and Solberg will be right back where they belong, and right back in the hunt for glory.

“Petter and Phil drove well this weekend,” the 56-year-old stated, “and we saw them deliver some very encouraging stage times in incredibly tricky conditions.

“It is a shame to have just missed out on a podium at home, but nevertheless it marks the end of a year in which we have seen the performance of our new car consistently improving, and there are yet more positives we can take from this weekend into the winter break as we continue our preparations for next season.”

“I still think Petter can be competitive,” concurred SWRT team manager Paul Howarth. “We just need to give him the tools to allow him to do the job.”