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Time for some retro. All yesterday’s instalments had a date or anniversary reference, but today that’s going out of the window. We chose this one because, Stratos. Bjorn Waldegaard/Hans Thorszelius on their way to victory in 1975.
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And here's a quick recap:
- Ott Tanak goes fastest and cuts the gap to second-placed Jari-Matti Latvala to 15s.
- Thierry Neuville extends his lead over Latvala to over 30s with third quickest time.
- Kris Meeke loses fourth place to Sebastien Ogier, who was second quickest on the stage.
- With power-steering failure, Hayden Paddon is likely to retire
- Ott Tanak goes fastest and cuts the gap to second-placed Jari-Matti Latvala to 15s.
- Thierry Neuville extends his lead over Latvala to over 30s with third quickest time.
- Kris Meeke loses fourth place to Sebastien Ogier, who was second quickest on the stage.
- With power-steering failure, Hayden Paddon is likely to retire
Checkered flag
After SS9, here's all the times you need.
SS9
1 Tanak 13m45.5s
2 Ogier +2.6s
3 Neuville +3.8s
4 Latvala +6.3s
5 Sordo +13.1s
6 Meeke +14.4s
Overall after SS9
1 Neuville 1h30m14s
2 Latvala +30.6s
3 Tanak +45.9s
4 Ogier +54.5s
5 Meeke +1m02.4s
6 Sordo +1m49.6s
SS9
1 Tanak 13m45.5s
2 Ogier +2.6s
3 Neuville +3.8s
4 Latvala +6.3s
5 Sordo +13.1s
6 Meeke +14.4s
Overall after SS9
1 Neuville 1h30m14s
2 Latvala +30.6s
3 Tanak +45.9s
4 Ogier +54.5s
5 Meeke +1m02.4s
6 Sordo +1m49.6s
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Neuville goes third quickest, but, crucially, he takes 2.5s out of Latvala in the duo's battle for the lead. They're separated by 30.6s now.
"To be honest I was too careful," says Neuville. "It's tricky stage, many corners are flat. I could afford to lose time for the inly new stage of today. I need to keep the lead."
"To be honest I was too careful," says Neuville. "It's tricky stage, many corners are flat. I could afford to lose time for the inly new stage of today. I need to keep the lead."
Stopwatch
Latvala goes third quickest. He's 6.3s slower than Tanak, and that's a worry.
Latvala is second, but Tanak in third has cut the deficit from 21.6s to 15.3s.
"I was too careful and we've lost a little bit of time," says Latvala.
Latvala is second, but Tanak in third has cut the deficit from 21.6s to 15.3s.
"I was too careful and we've lost a little bit of time," says Latvala.
Stopwatch
At the third split, Neuville is now quicker than Latvala at that point. The lead was 28.1s heading into this test.
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Tanak goes quicker than team-mate Ogier to go fastest overall.
"Obviously it's a proper fast stage," he says. Top quote Ott.
"Obviously it's a proper fast stage," he says. Top quote Ott.
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Kris Meeke is disappointed with that time.
"No, not happy. I felt comfortable," says Meeke after losing fourth. "I was in my rhythm, what more can I do. Maybe I just wasn't quick enough. I'm completely flat out."
"No, not happy. I felt comfortable," says Meeke after losing fourth. "I was in my rhythm, what more can I do. Maybe I just wasn't quick enough. I'm completely flat out."
Stopwatch
Kris Meeke drops in and he loses fourth to Sebastien Ogier. He's third quickest, 11.8s down on Ogier.
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Here's Ogier – to confirm – he 's quickest by 10s.
"At the end I saw he wasn't far ahead," says Ogier about Paddon, who didn't hold him up. "You have to be fully committed on this stage. It's better than yesterday!"
"At the end I saw he wasn't far ahead," says Ogier about Paddon, who didn't hold him up. "You have to be fully committed on this stage. It's better than yesterday!"
Stopwatch
Paddon's lost 1m20.1s to team-mate Sordo, and that will cost him his sixth place.
"Car's steering failed right at the start of the stage. It's impossible to drive," he says.
Ogier goes quickest so far by 10.5s over Sordo.
"Car's steering failed right at the start of the stage. It's impossible to drive," he says.
Ogier goes quickest so far by 10.5s over Sordo.
Stopwatch
Neuville has dropped 1.5s to Latvala, but he can afford to drop a few seconds with a 28s lead.
Hayden Paddon has lost a lot of time and he'll be in next, most likely just ahead of Sebastien Ogier.
Hayden Paddon has lost a lot of time and he'll be in next, most likely just ahead of Sebastien Ogier.
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We have splits in for Jari-Matti Latvala and Ott Tanak now and both are quicker than Ogier by just over a second.
Sordo completes and he's fastest so far by three seconds.
"I didn't do very well to be honest but it's difficult to keep the speed in the corners," he says.
Sordo completes and he's fastest so far by three seconds.
"I didn't do very well to be honest but it's difficult to keep the speed in the corners," he says.
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Breen arrives and he's one second quicker than Evans. He also likes this one.
"It's a bit of an eye opener," he says.
Ogier is a second up on pacesetter Sordo at the second split.
"It's a bit of an eye opener," he says.
Ogier is a second up on pacesetter Sordo at the second split.
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Evans is in, fastest so far, and he loves that stage.
"It's a hell of a stage," says Evans. "Tricky conditions to be fair. There's quite a lot of snow which makes the car a bit unpredicatble at high speed. No mistakes, it was clean."
"It's a hell of a stage," says Evans. "Tricky conditions to be fair. There's quite a lot of snow which makes the car a bit unpredicatble at high speed. No mistakes, it was clean."
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Stopwatch
Lefebvre is in and he's 50.1s quicker than Gorban.
Breen and Evans remain just over two seconds apart at the third split.
Breen and Evans remain just over two seconds apart at the third split.
Stopwatch
Ogier's first split is and he's 1.1s up on Sordo at the first split.
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Stopwatch
Sordo is also up on Paddon by a second or two, while at the second split, Breen is 2.4s up on Evans.
Stopwatch
And in turn, Dani Sordo is 1.8s up on Breen, quickest so far.
Yesterday a few sloppy errors, coupled with a loose net getting in his face in the i20 WRC, leaving him 22.1s behind team-mate Hayden Paddon.
Yesterday a few sloppy errors, coupled with a loose net getting in his face in the i20 WRC, leaving him 22.1s behind team-mate Hayden Paddon.
Stopwatch
First split in to compare 2017 cars on this stage, Craig Breen is 1.8s up on Elfyn Evans.
Evans is out of the frontrunning spot thanks to a puncture, and Craig Breen broke a damper and suffered from a lack of confidence yesterday.
Evans is out of the frontrunning spot thanks to a puncture, and Craig Breen broke a damper and suffered from a lack of confidence yesterday.
Stopwatch
While it means little in the overall order, Lefebvre has taken 17.7s out of Gorban at the first split. Impressive stuff.
Our 2017 cars are into the stage now with Elfyn Evans and Craig Breen underway.
Our 2017 cars are into the stage now with Elfyn Evans and Craig Breen underway.
Autosport
Did you miss any of yesterday's action? Here's Autosport's comprehensive report from the afternoon loop to get you started.
Green flag
Our stage is underway and the action commences. Gorban and Lefebvre, both in last year's 2016-spec WRC cars, get the action underway respectively.
With the FIA's new rules on running order, the championship leader no longer sweeps the road on the first two days of the event. It's been reduced to opening day, much to the pleasure of Sebastien Ogier.
Here's the running order for today's action:
Gorban
Lefebvre
Evans
Breen
Sordo
Paddon
Ogier
Meeke
Tanak
Latvala
Neuville
Ostberg
Hanninen
Here's the running order for today's action:
Gorban
Lefebvre
Evans
Breen
Sordo
Paddon
Ogier
Meeke
Tanak
Latvala
Neuville
Ostberg
Hanninen
David Evans
We're just a few minutes away from the start of the first stage of the day. DAVID EVANS runs you through what to expect.
SS9/12 Knon (19.63 miles)
"Brand new for this year, this one’s beautifully flowing with just four junctions in almost 20 miles. Off the start, the road runs alongside a lake with a really quick wide road.
"The fast sections are split by some short, twisty sections and a handful of hairpins. A good way to start the day and a great way to start the weekend."
SS9/12 Knon (19.63 miles)
"Brand new for this year, this one’s beautifully flowing with just four junctions in almost 20 miles. Off the start, the road runs alongside a lake with a really quick wide road.
"The fast sections are split by some short, twisty sections and a handful of hairpins. A good way to start the day and a great way to start the weekend."
Autosport
Good morning and welcome to Autosport Live's coverage of Rally Sweden.
We're in for a brilliant day. Can anyone chase down Thierry Neuville?
We're in for a brilliant day. Can anyone chase down Thierry Neuville?
Autosport
With that, our WRC coverage is over for the day. It was a corker, and a lot of the drivers will have gone from thinking they can win the event to scratching their heads as to how Thierry Neuville is half a minute in front.
Here's our comprehensive report, and rejoin us tomorrow morning just before 0700hrs for another full day of live coverage of Rally Sweden.
Here's our comprehensive report, and rejoin us tomorrow morning just before 0700hrs for another full day of live coverage of Rally Sweden.
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Here's a recap of the action from SS8:
- After a gearbox change at mid-day service, Ott Tanak ends the day with a fastest time on SS8. He jumps from fifth to third overall thanks to his time.
- Thierry Neuville continues to lead, extending his gap over Jari-Matti Latvala to 28.1s
- Kris Meeke loses third overall with tyre trouble, plus he criticised his own driving at stage end.
- Sebastien Ogier is only six seconds behind a podium spot after being first car on the road for Friday. Roadsweeping means he's almost a minute down on Neuville.
- After a gearbox change at mid-day service, Ott Tanak ends the day with a fastest time on SS8. He jumps from fifth to third overall thanks to his time.
- Thierry Neuville continues to lead, extending his gap over Jari-Matti Latvala to 28.1s
- Kris Meeke loses third overall with tyre trouble, plus he criticised his own driving at stage end.
- Sebastien Ogier is only six seconds behind a podium spot after being first car on the road for Friday. Roadsweeping means he's almost a minute down on Neuville.
Checkered flag
Times for SS8:
1 Tanak 9m24.8s
2 Neuville +0.7s
3 Latvala +4.8s
4 Ogier +6.1s
5 Meeke +10.9s
6 Breen +13s
After SS8 overall:
1 Neuville 1h16m24.7s
2 Latvala +28.1
3 Tanak +49.7s
4 Meeke +51.8s
5 Ogier +55.7s
6 Paddon +1m17.8s
1 Tanak 9m24.8s
2 Neuville +0.7s
3 Latvala +4.8s
4 Ogier +6.1s
5 Meeke +10.9s
6 Breen +13s
After SS8 overall:
1 Neuville 1h16m24.7s
2 Latvala +28.1
3 Tanak +49.7s
4 Meeke +51.8s
5 Ogier +55.7s
6 Paddon +1m17.8s
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Meeke completes with a moment at the end of the stage. It's enough to cost him third as Ott Tanak takes third overall.
"My tyres are completely shot, it was horrible," says Meeke. "I was really slow."
"My tyres are completely shot, it was horrible," says Meeke. "I was really slow."
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Neuville is in and only 0.7s slower than Tanak, and adds 4.1s to his lead overnight. And he had the distraction of an open door.
This one was tricky in the dark," says Neuville. "And my door was going open in the stage, I took it steady to the end. The pacenotes are working really well. My tyres are still good, I was disturbed by the door."
This one was tricky in the dark," says Neuville. "And my door was going open in the stage, I took it steady to the end. The pacenotes are working really well. My tyres are still good, I was disturbed by the door."
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Stephane Lefebvre completes in his 2016-spec DS 3 WRC. He'll be out of the top 10 overall overnight.
"It was a good day for us," says Lefebvre. "I'm happy. On the last one I feel like I lost drive and there's a noise inside."
"It was a good day for us," says Lefebvre. "I'm happy. On the last one I feel like I lost drive and there's a noise inside."
Stopwatch
Meeke is 1.3s down on Tanak at split one. Meeke can afford to lose 8.6s on this stage and hold onto the podium spot. Any more and he loses it.
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Neuville is 1.4s up on Latvala at the second split. He's behind Tanak, but he isn't really racing the Estonian.
Evans finsihes 16.7s down on Tanak.
"It's been a tricky day," says Evans. "A puncture this morning and we've struggled this afternoon but there's positives to take away."
Evans finsihes 16.7s down on Tanak.
"It's been a tricky day," says Evans. "A puncture this morning and we've struggled this afternoon but there's positives to take away."
By: Matt Beer
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