But yesterday, the international star was relying on a farmer’s humble fence post to hold his car together during the final stages of the Otago Classic Rally.
Ostberg, driving a borrowed Ford Escort RS1800, was negotiating Ritchie Rd, near Dunback, when a suspension arm under his vehicle gave way.
But instead of giving up, Ostberg and his support crew managed to secure two key pieces of help.
First they found the metal fence post, and then they found a farmer with the welding equipment needed to attach it to his car.
Photos and videos posted on Ostberg’s Facebook page yesterday showed the driver and his crew marching into the farmer’s shed to begin welding, and then later attaching the jury-rigged suspension arm to the car.
And the temporary fix appeared to do the trick, as Ostberg went on to win the rally’s final four stages as the post held his suspension together.
However, the "magnificent Viking fix, New Zealand-style" to patch his Escort was not enough to save Ostberg, who slid his car off the road early on Saturday in a horrifying start to the rally.
He finished well off the pace overall, as Regan Ross and co-driver Samantha Gray won the event.
