Neuville in good tempo at Rally Sweden shakedown

Held at first light, the shakedown of Rally from Sweden allowed the crews to familiarize themselves with piloting on ice. Between the walls of snow, it is a Hyundai, that of Thierry Neuville et Nicolas Gilsoul, who did the best with the best time during the third pass.

The Belgian duo swallowed the short portion timed in 4'17''3, barely three tenths less than Mads ostberg and his new co-pilot Torsten Eriksen (Citroen). For what symbolizes his return to WRC in 2018, the Norwegian attacked the Nordic event with a knife between his teeth, a few days after having granted a long interview with AUTOhebdo.

The differences are obviously insignificant, but we can note the presence of the three Toyota Official Yaris in the top 10. The reigning four-time world champions Sébastien Ogier et Julien Ingrassia (M-Sport Ford) are in fifth place. Kris Meeke-Paul Nagle and Elfyn Evans-Daniel Barritt (M-Sport Ford) are beyond the top ten, but remain a short distance (5''3 and 5''4) from Thierry Neuville.

The real kick-off of the Swedish Rally will take place Thursday evening at 20:08 p.m., with the traditional super-special in the Karlstad stadium (1,9 km).  

The shakedown ranking:

1. Thierry Neuville – Nicolas Gilsoul (Hyundai i20 Coupe) in 4’17”3
2. Mads Ostberg – Eriksen (Citroën C3) at 0”3
3. Ott Tänak – Martin Järveoja (Toyota Yaris) at 1”4
4. Andreas Mikkelsen – Andreas Jaeger (Hyundai) at 1”5
5. Sébastien Ogier – Julien Ingrassia (M-Sport Ford Fiesta) at 2”1
6. Hayden Paddon-Marshall (Hyundai i20 Coupe) at 3”
7. Jari-Matti Latvala – Mikka Anttila (Toyota Yaris) at 3’’
8. Esapekka Lappi-Ferm (Toyota Yaris) at 3”5
9. Craig Breen – Scott Martin (Citroën C3) at 5”3
10. Teemu Suninen – Mikko Markkula (M-Sport Ford Fiesta) at 5”3