Sweden, SS2: Breen out, Lappi new leader

The start of Rally Sweden 2022 proves to be a disaster for the team M-Sport Ford. While Gus Greensmith and Adrien fourmaux dropped around twenty seconds from SS1 this Friday February 25, the spearhead of Malcolm Wilson's formation, Craig Breen, finished his race in the snowdrifts of SS2!

The Irishman made not one, but two driving errors in the longest special stage of the event. Able to restart after losing around twenty seconds at the start of the special, he then negotiated a curve too quickly which sent him into the trees.

Another Video of Breen's off on SS2 #RallySweden #WRCLive

🎥 Adam15 via YouTube pic.twitter.com/yMb1Gj0tVo

— Markus Ippach 🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦 (@ma_ipp) February 26, 2022

The special was consequently stopped by the race direction for a few minutes, forcing Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), Gus Greensmith and Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) to reach the finish line at a slow pace. These drivers could be credited with a fixed time.

The general classification has changed in the space of one special. Esapekka Lappi (Toyota) shows that he has not lost his driving skills for his first rally with Toyota Gazoo Racing since the end of 2018. The Finn takes the lead thanks to a scratch time, the first in several years in WRC !

Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota) is however only 1”0 behind the new leader. Young Oliver Solberg (Hyundai) leads the chase for third place at 2”9. His teammate Ott Tänak is 4th at 3”8. Thierry Neuville does not appear in the provisional classification, just like Gus Greensmith (Ford) and Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) because the three drivers had to slow down during the special interruption linked to the exit of Craig Breen (Ford).

Adrien Fourmaux (Ford) is already flirting with the minute delay. But the Frenchman has been instructed to see the finish on Sunday noon, even if it means taking it easy on the ice.

ES ranking:

General classification :