Rally Sweden – Takamoto Katsuta leader, huge massacre among the favorites!

Ranking Rally de Sweden 2024, after SS4:

• What an unexpected start to the Swedish Rally! This Friday morning, the loop contested in perilous conditions (fog then rain and snowfall) trapped several favorites for victory, starting with Ott Tänak (Hyundai)
• The Estonian driver made a big driving error by entering a corner too hard. His Hyundai hit the snow wall from the rear and then the front, causing the radiator to be blocked by the deep snow. Seeing smoke coming from the engine hood, Tänak slowed down and then drove only on the electric system, losing several minutes. His hopes of a good result are dashed.

💔 on SS4 for our Estonians pic.twitter.com/6KCJEJEI76

— Hyundai Motorsport (@HMSGOfficial) February 16, 2024

• Disaster also for Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota). The outgoing double world champion stopped during this same SS5. Without knowing the causes of this stop, the Finn decided not to continue his route for the rest of the day. The disappointment is enormous because he had held the lead in the event since SS1 played on Thursday evening, and his starting position behind the regular entrants for the 2024 season (7th) should have allowed him to escape from this stage. ! His team indicated that he would have to leave on Saturday with a heavy time penalty.
• The second knives benefit from this. The Japanese Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota), very comfortable on these snowy tracks, takes charge of operations. The Nippon had already occupied this role during the Safari Rally of Kenya in 2021 (2nd in the end).
• The first four drivers are less than 20 seconds apart. Esapekka Lappi (Hyundai) is 2nd, ahead of Elfyn Evans (Toyota) who almost had an accident in SS3. The Welshman spun and hit a snowdrift but was able to get back on track without stopping:

Big spin for @ElfynEvans on SS3 😵‍💫 pic.twitter.com/Z1z7NnlLy2

- World Rally Championship (@OfficialWRC) February 16, 2024

• French Adrien fourmaux (M-Sport Ford) has delivered a no-nonsense performance so far. For his return to the snow after an absence in 2023, the Northerner is at the foot of the podium!
• Handicapped by his position as opener linked to his success at Monte-Carlo last month, Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) grits its teeth but cannot compete. The Belgian was dropped 40 seconds behind Katsuta and his delay should increase during the afternoon loop.
• In WRC2, Oliver Solberg (Skoda) crushes the competition. The son of Petter Solberg has already taken a 30-second margin over Sami Pajari (Toyota), and 50 over Nikolay Gryazin (Citroën), who would pick up big points with a view to the championship. The winner of Monte-Carlo, Yohan Rossel, and his runner-up Pepe Lopez are in fact absent in Sweden.
• The second loop of this Friday stage of the Rally Sweden will begin at 14:36 p.m. and will be followed in live text on AUTOhebdo.fr.