Rally Sweden 2014
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Solberg lost about 50s with that issue, which means Meeke is elevated into the top 10.
Crash
Tough end to the day for Solberg, as he comes through with a right-front puncture. That's going to cost him some time.
"One stone in the road," he reckons, "I don't know, I didn't see it. Right at the start of the stage. Not good."
"One stone in the road," he reckons, "I don't know, I didn't see it. Right at the start of the stage. Not good."
Tanak stays in fourth overnight. That's a great comeback for the Estonian, especially considering it's his new co-driver Raigo Molder's first WRC rally and first event in a World Rally Car.
"I was shaking before the first stage, I was so nervous," Tanak told AUTOSPORT earlier.
"But I feel the confidence is coming all the time.
"I just want to stay at this level, not take any risks."
He ends day one 2.6s behind third-placed Latvala.
"I was shaking before the first stage, I was so nervous," Tanak told AUTOSPORT earlier.
"But I feel the confidence is coming all the time.
"I just want to stay at this level, not take any risks."
He ends day one 2.6s behind third-placed Latvala.
The questions still to be answered tonight... is Tanak going to get third back from Latvala, and has Solberg got another special stage time up his sleeve to keep him in front in his battle for eighth with stepson Tidemand and Hanninen.
Thierry Neuville
Neuville is 5s off nearest rival Ostberg as he completes his first full day of Hyundai i20 rallying after his Monte Carlo SS1 disaster. That's going to put Neuville seventh overnight.
"A good day for us, I think that was better than expected," he summarises.
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Kubica completes day one with no problems. He's a second down on sparring partners Meeke and Evans on this stage but should hold 12th overnight.
"It's been a difficult day, but no big dramas and we are here, so it's fine.
"There are still two days to go and a lot to learn, so we hope to go forward."
"It's been a difficult day, but no big dramas and we are here, so it's fine.
"There are still two days to go and a lot to learn, so we hope to go forward."
Hirvonen loses a few seconds to Ostberg on that stage and that will mean the pair are set to go into day two absolutely tied for fifth place, 22s behind leader Ogier.
Tyres could well decide this rally. Drivers are limited to 24 for the event but the level of gravel on the stages with so little snow around means tyres struggle to retain their studs.
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Mikkelsen says he chose to run old tyres on this stage to make sure he has fresh rubber for Friday.
"We could've chosen to go with new tyres now, then we would've had used tyres tomorrow morning. I preferred to lose time here and have new tyres for the morning.
"It would be nice to fight for the lead overnight but this is a long rally and that's what we've got to think about."
"We could've chosen to go with new tyres now, then we would've had used tyres tomorrow morning. I preferred to lose time here and have new tyres for the morning.
"It would be nice to fight for the lead overnight but this is a long rally and that's what we've got to think about."
Mikkelsen loses the lead! He's 6s slower than Ogier.
Umbrella
Elfyn Evans completes the day smoothly. His arrival at the highest level of world rallying means his own line in merchandise - including this umbrella, which would have been useful last time out in Monte Carlo.
Ostberg is through, and reckons the reason he's been a bit out of sorts today is because conditions were quite different to the only test he's had in the Citroen on snow. He admits he'd hoped he could get his head round the car quicker.
At present, he's on course to complete the day in sixth place.
At present, he's on course to complete the day in sixth place.
Latvala is 4s down on Ogier as he finishes this stage, which is going to drop him further from the lead fight but should keep him third given Tanak's time loss on the last stage.
"It's a bad time. I don't know... It felt difficult to get the grip. Maybe my tyres were a little bit too bad. Tomorrow is a new day."
"It's a bad time. I don't know... It felt difficult to get the grip. Maybe my tyres were a little bit too bad. Tomorrow is a new day."
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Meeke is very satisfied with his first day of proper snow rallying.
"You have to take your time on this rally," he says. "If you try to run before you can walk, you'll fall flat on your face."
"You have to take your time on this rally," he says. "If you try to run before you can walk, you'll fall flat on your face."
Meeke completes 4.3s slower than Ogier. He's likely to end the day just outside the top 10.
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Sebastien Ogier
Whatever Mikkelsen does, Ogier is happy, having feared he might have to spend the whole first day here clearing fresh snow out of the way for those following him.
"To be honest, it doesn't really matter," he says when asked for his view on the Mikkelsen battle.
"At least I will be second tonight and I'm very happy with that. It is always hard to be first on the road and I wasn't sure I would be in the top three."
Stopwatch
Ogier completes the stage in 4m34.1s and sets the benchmark.
Five minutes until the final stage of the leg goes live. Ogier will be first in, and there is just 0.2s between him and Mikkelsen. The stage is just 7km so the margins are going to be small.
It's very nearly dark, and probably will be by the time the midfield comes through.
It's very nearly dark, and probably will be by the time the midfield comes through.
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Here's some more snow rallying philosophy from Kris Meeke, who today has been learning about judging changing levels of ice/snow/mud on a visually deceptive surface:
"You have to detune your eyes. You can see it, but you have to feel it with your arse."
"You have to detune your eyes. You can see it, but you have to feel it with your arse."
GRC Beetle
In slightly rallying-ish news, Volkswagen and Andretti Autosport have today unveiled the VW Beetle they'll use in America's Global Rallycross series this year. Double GRC champion Tanner Foust and ex-F1 man Scott Speed have signed up to drive it.
Plenty of AUTOSPORT readers will be following British contingent Kris Meeke and Elfyn Evans, and ex-F1 star Robert Kubica, all of whom are taking it steady today and trying to build snow rallying mileage.
Meeke is 11th, 5s away from a top-10 place, and 10.4s ahead of Kubica, who is 12.5s ahead of Evans.
Craig Breen is running 14th, 16s off Evans, which is a respectable slot given his misfire.
Meeke is 11th, 5s away from a top-10 place, and 10.4s ahead of Kubica, who is 12.5s ahead of Evans.
Craig Breen is running 14th, 16s off Evans, which is a respectable slot given his misfire.
Just one stage left to go today - we'll be back in Sweden for a re-run of the 7km Torsby test that opened the morning. It starts in just over half an hour.
In WRC2, Ketomaa continues to drop away from leader Al-Rahji.
The Finn is the lead driver for DMACK's WRC tyre programme, which has struggled in the snow in the past. He's very diplomatic, but can't help admitting that he thinks his driving is just fine and maybe the tyres need more testing.
The Finn is the lead driver for DMACK's WRC tyre programme, which has struggled in the snow in the past. He's very diplomatic, but can't help admitting that he thinks his driving is just fine and maybe the tyres need more testing.
Remote control car
This is either a very small car or a very big building...
Remote control cars kept the world's media entertained outside the Hagfors press office. Easily pleased or easily distracted comes to mind...
Breaking news
SS6 summary:
* Mikkelsen goes fastest and takes the rally lead from Ogier - but only by 0.2s!
* Tanak backs off as tyres fade and loses third to Latvala.
* Solberg moves up from 10th to eighth.
* Mikkelsen goes fastest and takes the rally lead from Ogier - but only by 0.2s!
* Tanak backs off as tyres fade and loses third to Latvala.
* Solberg moves up from 10th to eighth.
Checkered flag
Leading positions after SS6:
1 Mikkelsen (VW)
2 Ogier (VW) +0.2s
3 Latvala (VW) +7.9s
4 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +12.0s
5 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +18.1s
6 Ostberg (Citroen) +21.2s
7 Neuville (Hyundai) +26.2s
8 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +35.3s
9 Tidemand (M-Sport Ford) +37.2s
10 Hanninen (Hyundai) +37.4s
Meeke and Kubica 11th and 12th
1 Mikkelsen (VW)
2 Ogier (VW) +0.2s
3 Latvala (VW) +7.9s
4 Tanak (M-Sport Ford) +12.0s
5 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +18.1s
6 Ostberg (Citroen) +21.2s
7 Neuville (Hyundai) +26.2s
8 Solberg (M-Sport Ford) +35.3s
9 Tidemand (M-Sport Ford) +37.2s
10 Hanninen (Hyundai) +37.4s
Meeke and Kubica 11th and 12th
Checkered flag
SS6 times:
1 Mikkelsen (VW) 8m45.9s
2 Ogier (VW) +0.7s
3 Latvala (VW) +1.7s
4 Ostberg (Citroen) +2.2s
5 Neuville (Hyundai) +4.2s
6 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +4.3s
1 Mikkelsen (VW) 8m45.9s
2 Ogier (VW) +0.7s
3 Latvala (VW) +1.7s
4 Ostberg (Citroen) +2.2s
5 Neuville (Hyundai) +4.2s
6 Hirvonen (M-Sport Ford) +4.3s
And that's fair enough because it looks like that time is going to vault Solberg up to eighth place.
He's having a lot of fun on his first WRC outing in a year, driving the Ford Fiesta RS WRC that M-Sport normally uses as a test car.
"I have not driven this car for one metre before the shakedown yesterday, and the feeling is getting better and better," Solberg said.
He's having a lot of fun on his first WRC outing in a year, driving the Ford Fiesta RS WRC that M-Sport normally uses as a test car.
"I have not driven this car for one metre before the shakedown yesterday, and the feeling is getting better and better," Solberg said.
It's common at stage ends for the broadcast interviewers to ask drivers to switch from English to their native language to repeat their comments.
AUTOSPORT doesn't speak Norwegian so isn't sure exactly what Solberg just said to the home audience but it was VERY, VERY LOUD.
AUTOSPORT doesn't speak Norwegian so isn't sure exactly what Solberg just said to the home audience but it was VERY, VERY LOUD.
In the Hyundai fight, Neuville is starting to stretch his legs over Hanninen, with 11s between them now.
That means Neuville is in seventh, close behind Ostberg, while Hanninen is among Solberg and Tidemand at the tail of the top 10.
That means Neuville is in seventh, close behind Ostberg, while Hanninen is among Solberg and Tidemand at the tail of the top 10.
Not so good for Tanak, he loses 7s to Latvala and relinquishes third place again.
He thinks running so far down the order means he's now getting very aggressive stage conditions for the winter tyres.
"Now the tyres are getting damaged, so we tried to save something for the last stage," he explains.
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Next through is Kubica, just under 10s slower than Mikkelsen.
Kubica isn't making many headlines this time, especially compared to his rally-leading turn in Monte Carlo, but he's happy with how he's handling his first proper snow rally as he runs 12th at present.
"I'm pretty pleased with what I've done," he told AUTOSPORT earlier. "I've taken no risks at all, so it's quite good.
"The situation is complicated because the road surface is changing. I can see it changing but I don't know what it's going to change to."
Kubica isn't making many headlines this time, especially compared to his rally-leading turn in Monte Carlo, but he's happy with how he's handling his first proper snow rally as he runs 12th at present.
"I'm pretty pleased with what I've done," he told AUTOSPORT earlier. "I've taken no risks at all, so it's quite good.
"The situation is complicated because the road surface is changing. I can see it changing but I don't know what it's going to change to."
This isn't the first time Mikkelsen has led in the WRC, but previous occasions (like last night) have been following superspecials.
It's completely fair to say that this is the first time the double IRC champion has been properly in the hunt for a WRC win.
It's completely fair to say that this is the first time the double IRC champion has been properly in the hunt for a WRC win.
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It was fitting that Mikkelsen took the lead while still on home turf, with this stage the last one in Norway before the rally moves back to Sweden for the rest of the itinerary.
"I have to say when you see so many Norwegians cheering you on, and your friends and family are here, you want to do well," says Mikkelsen when asked if national pride added anything to his pace.
"I have to say when you see so many Norwegians cheering you on, and your friends and family are here, you want to do well," says Mikkelsen when asked if national pride added anything to his pace.
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Mikkelsen admits he had a scare on that one:
"I thought I had a puncture in the beginning. It felt odd. But I just tried to drive as fast as I could and the grip came back. I was a little bit worried there for a second."
"I thought I had a puncture in the beginning. It felt odd. But I just tried to drive as fast as I could and the grip came back. I was a little bit worried there for a second."
Stopwatch
Mikkelsen is 0.7s faster than Ogier on the stage - that's still enough to put him into the lead by 0.2s.
Mikkelsen was up to 2.3s faster than Ogier in the middle of the stage, but the margin has come down to a second again.
He's not far from the stage end now.
He's not far from the stage end now.
Latvala comes through a second slower than Ogier. He's mildly unimpressed with his pace. It's not a full-on self-questioning Latvala mood dive, just moderate discontent.
Stopwatch
Mikkelsen is 1.1s faster than Ogier at the first split - so he's on course to take the lead.
Meeke is next through. Earlier today he decided Finnskogen in the snow was better than the legendary Ouninpohja in Finland, previously his (and most other drivers') favourite stage in the world. He's 9.2s off Ogier.
By: Matt Beer, David Evans, Scott Mitchell
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