09h

The Japanese Takamoto Katsuta (Ford R5) set the best time in WRC 2 in SS2 and took control of the category with a 2″ lead over Ole Veiby (Skoda). Abbring (Ford) follows more than 4s behind.

08h

The crews are preparing to compete in the 3km Svullrya SS24,88 from 9:07 a.m.

08h

Ott Tänak (Toyota) took the scratch in the 21,26km Hof-Finnskog which kicks off the first stage of the Swedish Rally. The Estonian set a time of 10'32"7, ahead of Norwegians Andreas Mikkelsen (Hyundai) and Mads Ostberg (Citroën) by more than six seconds, as well as Thierry Neuville (Hyundai). Esapekka Lappi (Toyota) follows eight seconds ahead of his teammate Jari-Matti Latvala. Craig Breen (Citroën) is 11 seconds ahead of Teemu Suninen (M-Sport) and Hayden Paddon (Hyundai).

Sébastien Ogier (M-Sport) is only tenth, a dozen seconds from the scratch after opening the road. The Championship leader precedes his teammate Elfyn Evans and Kris Meeke (Citroën).

Ott Tänak increases his lead to 6”8 ahead of Mads Ostberg. Andreas Mikkelsen follows seven seconds ahead of Thierry Neuville and Jari-Marri Latvala. Esapekka Lappi is the first more than ten seconds from the lead of the race. CRaig Breen is in seventh place ahead of Hayden Paddon, Teemu Suninen, Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans and Kris Meeke.

 

08h

Henning Solberg is the slowest, 45s behind Tänak's scratch. “I’m looking to complete the loop. It’s better for the sponsors. »

08h

Mikkelsen repairs damaged rear bumper on SS2:

 

08h

Ostberg sets the 3rd provisional time, 6″2 behind Tänak, only a tenth behind his compatriot Mikkelsen. “Maybe I was a little too careful. I had a few scares. »

08h

Paddon finished 12”1 behind Tänak’s provisional scratch, setting the 8th fastest time. “We are lacking a lot of grip. I was quite dazzled by the snow between the dark and lit passages. »

08h

Suninen sets the 7th time, 11″5 behind the provisional scratch, finishing 4 tenths behind Breen. “I missed braking and lost a handful of seconds. »

08h

Breen sets the 6th provisional time, 11 seconds behind Tänak. “That’s not a very good time. I lost time by missing a turn. »

08h

Ostberg is tied with Tänak in 2nd sector! However, the Norwegian is making his debut in the C3 WRC.

08h

Mikkelsen is closest to Tänak with 6” behind Tänak. “It’s very difficult as a first special to get into the swing of things. » His Hyundai smells of oil.

08h

Lappi achieves the 3rd provisional time, finishing 8 seconds behind his teammate Tänak. “It could have been better. The times are good, the others are attacking hard. The road clears as you pass. It's a good time but it's not great either. »

08h

Evans signs the 5th provisional time at 14”1 from the provisional scratch. Only Meeke is slower. “I struggled to know when I could attack. »

08h

Neuville is the closest to Tänak with 6″5 behind. “The level of grip can be surprising because you can lose it suddenly. The visibility was not optimal but we set off at a good pace. »

08h

Meeke is the slowest, finishing 17″5 off the provisional scratch. “I was cautious, I didn’t really know what to expect,” explains the man who finished 5s behind Ogier.

08h

Latvala failed 9″3 behind Tänak, having a 3s lead over Ogier. “We didn’t have a good time. I wasn't confident on this course, I preferred to play it safe. »

08h

Tänak improves Ogier’s time by 12″7 with a time of 10’32″7. “The conditions are tricky but I like it. I was on the attack on this course. »

08h

Ogier finished the special with a time of 10’45”2. “It was quite complicated. We had no walls of snow to lean on. »

08h

Tänak is now ahead of Ogier by more than 6s in the 2nd intermediate. The M-Sport driver suffers from sweeping in very snowy conditions.

07h

Tänak is already ahead of Ogier by almost 4s at the first intermediate.

No more live text

Read also