Rally Sweden
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Neuville is second fastest so far on the split, between Meeke and Latvala.
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"I had a reasonable run," says Meeke. "I just said to Paul coming over the finish line that we were a bit hesitant as conditions have changed completely since the recce.
"I'm sure as we get down the order, Seb will come through a lot, lot faster.
"A rally of what might have been. Here I think victory was definitely on the cards. A lot of excitement for the future and next year."
"I'm sure as we get down the order, Seb will come through a lot, lot faster.
"A rally of what might have been. Here I think victory was definitely on the cards. A lot of excitement for the future and next year."
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Meeke is in, 3.1s faster than Latvala and clearly keen to win this powerstage.
Neuville is on the stage now. He nearly won here last year, but was robbed of a shot by Friday's transmission trouble this time. And worst of all for Neuville, Paddon is heading for a podium and another swing in what is going to be an ever more significant Hyundai intra-team battle as this i20 gets quicker and quicker.
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"It was a really good stage for me, but I think it will get faster," muses Latvala. "Even though there is no ice, there is loose gravel in places and that and the ruts will clean.
"I don't think my time will be quick enough to win but if I can get some points that will be really, really nice."
"I don't think my time will be quick enough to win but if I can get some points that will be really, really nice."
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Latvala is in with a 7m54.8s benchmark for the stage.
Third man onto the stage is Khalid Al Qassimi. This isn't really his surface so don't expect much - but without his Abu Dhabi support, we probably wouldn't have Meeke and Craig Breen (more of him in a moment) on this really, so cheers Khalid.
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Meeke is quicker than Latvala by 1.9s at the split.
What that tweet means is Meeke has set off without a spare to run lighter and try to get maximum speed. He wants a point or two here.
If you're wondering why drivers need a spare for a single short stage, bear in mind they have to get right back to service on four functioning wheels to be classified as a finisher. With no title to chase and nothing to lose, Meeke may as well go for it and not worry about such practicalities.
If you're wondering why drivers need a spare for a single short stage, bear in mind they have to get right back to service on four functioning wheels to be classified as a finisher. With no title to chase and nothing to lose, Meeke may as well go for it and not worry about such practicalities.
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There's a reasonable coating of snow in the scenery, but not a lot on the road itself. Ice base doesn't look too bad but expect the stage to be fairly gravel heavy by the time Ogier turns up.
Green flag
Latvala sets off to begin the stage.
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Actually the start list on the official computer looks a bit bonkers in the top three region... But we'd expect to see the Rally 2 lot, then the leading WRC runners in reverse classification order culminating in Ogier, then Evans and the WRC2 pack thereafter.
We've got the Rally 2 runners through first on this one (at least according to our start list, sometimes this is where we get surprised by a random WRC2 appearance), so expect Latvala and Meeke fighting for pride and the odd bonus point early on.
And don't rule out a surprise or two on this stage, it's a tricky one as our man DAVID EVANS explained.
Last year we went onto this one with a three-way lead battle between Ogier, Mikkelsen and Neuville still well alight, and this happened:
Last year we went onto this one with a three-way lead battle between Ogier, Mikkelsen and Neuville still well alight, and this happened:
But just when Ogier looked like he was home safe, Hayden Paddon started producing extraordinary times in his first rally with the all-new Hyundai. He was helped by the return of the snow - which forced Ogier to clear the loose surface away and helped those, like Paddon, who were much further down the start order.
Paddon wasn't the only one with a great road position, but he made best use of it. Even though Ogier inched away again and goes onto this stage with a healthy 15s lead, Paddon has been a star.
Paddon wasn't the only one with a great road position, but he made best use of it. Even though Ogier inched away again and goes onto this stage with a healthy 15s lead, Paddon has been a star.
To bring you up to speed very briefly with what's happened so far...
Sebastien Ogier has led throughout, and initially his opposition was falling apart. Jari-Matti Latvala broke a driveshaft almost immediately, Andreas Mikkelsen was pushing Ogier hard but fell back with mistakes, Thierry Neuville's transmission broke when he was third, Kris Meeke was eliminated by a rock (again) while up to second and closing on the leader.
And that was all by mid-afternoon on Friday.
Sebastien Ogier has led throughout, and initially his opposition was falling apart. Jari-Matti Latvala broke a driveshaft almost immediately, Andreas Mikkelsen was pushing Ogier hard but fell back with mistakes, Thierry Neuville's transmission broke when he was third, Kris Meeke was eliminated by a rock (again) while up to second and closing on the leader.
And that was all by mid-afternoon on Friday.
David Evans
Varmullsasen 9.86 miles
At least the drivers will be getting a lie-in before they hike 60 miles up the road to Hagfors for a 10-mile powerstage telly test. The route for this one is exactly the same as last year.
Generally a really quick, typically Swedish stage finishing with a series of hairpins and a big jump on a ski slope. Watch out for the final left-hander, it nearly catches somebody out every year.
At least the drivers will be getting a lie-in before they hike 60 miles up the road to Hagfors for a 10-mile powerstage telly test. The route for this one is exactly the same as last year.
Generally a really quick, typically Swedish stage finishing with a series of hairpins and a big jump on a ski slope. Watch out for the final left-hander, it nearly catches somebody out every year.
Here's what to expect from this stage...
Welcome back to Autosport Race Centre Live. Rally Sweden has had a bit of a lie-in - day three will be just a short, sharp powerstage blast, and it's about to begin.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where we're going to leave things for today.
We'll be bringing you the report from this evening's superspecial, before finishing with live coverage of the final stage tomorrow.
Thanks for your company today, do be sure to join us back here in Race Centre Live for the conclusion of Rally Sweden tomorrow from 11:00 BST.
We'll be bringing you the report from this evening's superspecial, before finishing with live coverage of the final stage tomorrow.
Thanks for your company today, do be sure to join us back here in Race Centre Live for the conclusion of Rally Sweden tomorrow from 11:00 BST.
Here's our report from this afternoon's loop, as Sebastien Ogier held his nerve to eke out an advantage over Hayden Paddon: 
That's a big jump - and a new record by the look of things. Nice one, Eyvind!
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A reminder too that there's just one stage tomorrow, with the Varmullsasen power stage bringing the Rally to a close.
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There's a fairly long break now before the final stage of the day in Karlstad this evening, which starts at 17:11 BST.
SS16 Summary:
*Ogier goes fastest to consolidate Rally Sweden lead
*Paddon struggles to match pace but stays in comfortable second
*Breen closes back up to Solberg in battle for seventh
*Rapid pace from Tidemand slashes Evans' WRC2 lead
*Ogier goes fastest to consolidate Rally Sweden lead
*Paddon struggles to match pace but stays in comfortable second
*Breen closes back up to Solberg in battle for seventh
*Rapid pace from Tidemand slashes Evans' WRC2 lead
Checkered flag
SS16 Results:
Stage times:
1 Ogier 12m48.8s
2 Latvala +1.0s
3 Mikkelsen +4.1s
4 Sordo +4.9s
5 Neuville +5.2s
6 Paddon +5.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier 1h50m25.8s
2 Paddon +15.9s
3 Ostberg +42.6s
4 Mikkelsen +1m07.1s
5 Tanak +1m32.9s
6 Sordo +1m56.7s
7 Solberg +2m17.6s
8 Breen +2m19.1s
Stage times:
1 Ogier 12m48.8s
2 Latvala +1.0s
3 Mikkelsen +4.1s
4 Sordo +4.9s
5 Neuville +5.2s
6 Paddon +5.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Ogier 1h50m25.8s
2 Paddon +15.9s
3 Ostberg +42.6s
4 Mikkelsen +1m07.1s
5 Tanak +1m32.9s
6 Sordo +1m56.7s
7 Solberg +2m17.6s
8 Breen +2m19.1s
It was looking OK for Evans, but another mighty run from Tidemand has allowed the Swede to close to within 20 seconds of the Brit in the overall classification.
Grondal, who was behind Ahlin on the road, says 'it looks as though he took a wheel off'.
Grondal, who was behind Ahlin on the road, says 'it looks as though he took a wheel off'.
One of his rivals, Fredrik Ahlin, has stopped on the stage.
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Evans comes through and completes the stage 35.5s down on Ogier, which looks good compared to his WRC2 rivals.
"We had a bit of bother on the last stage made some repairs - it seemed to be OK but you're confidence in never full when you have to make some repairs."
"We had a bit of bother on the last stage made some repairs - it seemed to be OK but you're confidence in never full when you have to make some repairs."
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"I had to keep going with a good rhythm," he says. "I had a good rhythm but I didn't take any risks. The grip is high and you want to cut more and more but I looked after the car - I'm happy with my driving."
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Latvala is now through as well, and ends the stage a second slower than Ogier having been up on his team-mate at the previous two splits.
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"I think I have a puncture, I had a big vibration on the wheel and the car wasn't pulling. I had that from very early on and it kept getting worse and worse."
Meeke does indeed have a problem on his right-rear wheel, but it's not quite punctured.
Meeke does indeed have a problem on his right-rear wheel, but it's not quite punctured.
Meeke was down by the second split, but he's lost a fair bit more in the final few miles as he ends the stage nine seconds down on Ogier.
Latvala remains up on Ogier's best.
Latvala remains up on Ogier's best.
Not for the first time today, Meeke and Latvala are both up on Ogier's splits early on.
He said he wasn't bothered about his fight with Solberg, but the Norwegian is four seconds slower on that stage and brings Breen back to within 1.5s of seventh.
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"Not very good," says Breen. "I think maybe I was a bit inexperienced - I was too hard on the studs on Rammen and here I lost my studs completely.
"I'm quite surprised by the time because I thought it was a lot slower.
"I'm quite surprised by the time because I thought it was a lot slower.
Stopwatch
Speaking of Breen, he's in and 15.8s down on Ogier and seventh quickest at the moment.
By: Matt Beer
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