NEWLY-crowned world rally champion Petter Solberg has dedicated his triumph to retiring team-mate Tommi Makinen after winning the Wales Rally GB.

Solberg saw off the challenge of Citroen's Sebastien Loeb to win comfortably in south Wales, giving him the drivers' title by one point from the Frenchman.

Solberg's - and Norway's - first-ever world championship still leaves him some way behind Makinen, who dominated the sport in the late 1990s with four straight titles.

But the Norwegian was keen to credit his triumph to Subaru team-mate Makinen, telling the newly-retired Finn: "This is for you."

He added: "I had a few discussions with Tommi on how to tackle this rally and he said you are going to have a terrible week, you are not going to sleep and you are going to think of the world championship all the time.

"It was true. It has been quite difficult but I kept concentrating all the time.

"I have to thank Tommi for his support because the two years with him have been incredible.

"As a team-mate he has been a really good friend, he has given me a lot of support. It just made me go quick and made me happier and this victory is Tommi's."

An emotional Makinen could not hide his delight at ending a distinguished career on a high with third place after seeing off Colin McRae's challenge.

The normally restrained Finn has endured a difficult time with Subaru over the past two seasons but looked touched by Solberg's tributes and revealed his joy at a well-deserved podium finish.

He said: "It has been one of the best weeks in my life, one of my best for a long time. It is good when everything works well.

"Petter did incredibly and that was most important for all of us. For myself, I wanted to finish on the podium to end my career and I am very happy for that.

"I am going to miss all this. I am sure it is going to be a difficult time next year in Monte Carlo (for the first rally of the season)."

The celebrations were not an all-Scandinavian affair though, with Welshman Phil Mills claiming a share of the limelight after co-driving Solberg all season.

Powys-born Mills said: "To win the rally and the championship and to be at home is quite a special feeling. To do it on home soil added that extra little nice twist."

While Makinen has definitely called time on his career, McRae's future is unclear.

The Scotsman finished fourth in his final world rally for at least a year after his release by Citroen and there are doubts over whether the 1995 world champion will ever return to the sport.

Asked whether his exciting battle with Makinen had convinced him to return to the sport in 2005 he said: "I have enjoyed it but that is a different matter."