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WRC Rally Sweden

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This could also help paint a picture, this was the overall classification heading into this stage:

1 Neuville
2 Breen +22.7s
3 Mikkelsen +32s
4 Paddon +48.6s
5 Ostberg +56.8s
6 Lappi +1m05.8s
7 Latvala +2m03.3s
8 Suninen +2m20.5s
9 Tanak +3m41.3s
10 Ogier +4m24.9s
Information
While we're waiting for relevant times, here's the running order:

H Solberg
Evans
Ogier
Tanak
Suninen
Latvala
Lappi
Ostberg
Paddon
Mikkelsen
Breen
Neuville
Meeke
Green flag
Hello and welcome back to Autosport Live's coverage of Rally Sweden.

First up: SS17 Likenas which is just over 13 miles long.

Henning Solberg is into the test.
Autosport
With a settled lead order, we're going to call it a night with our live coverage ahead of Saturday's final Torsby stage. We'll be back with live coverage of tomorrow's conclusion to Rally Sweden, and in the meantime check back on Autosport.com later this evening to read our report ahead of the final day of action. Thanks for joining us.
Information
SS15 times:

1 Tanak 1m34.7s
2 Ostberg _0.3s
3 Latvala +0.6s
4 Ogier +0.8s
5 Neuville +0.8s
6 Lappi +1.2s

Overall classification:

1 Neuville 2h20m51.1s
2 Breen +19.7s
3 Mikkelsen +31.3s
4 Paddon +39.9s
5 Ostberg +56s
6 Lappi +1m05.3s
7 Latvala +1m59.7s
8 Suninen +2m18s
9 Tanak +3m40.3s
10 Ogier +4m22.1s
No repeat of Neuville's 2017 woe there, either. It was on this stage last year that the Belgian sustained damage his steering and was forced to retire from the event.
We have WRC2 runners to come, but it'll most likely be a stage win for Ott Tanak.
Conditions certainly not as good for those tackling the superspecial later on. Neuville drifts round the final corner and wins the head-to-head, but is fifth fastest while Mikkelsen slots in two places behind him.
Breen's time was sixth fastest so far - a 1m36.64s.
Hyundai head-to-head now. Mikkelsen and Neuville on their way.
No time for Breen, who was fastest on that run, but Paddon was third slowest of those through so far on a 1m37s.
Paddon and Breen up next. Plenty of snow for the two to get stuck into.
Ostberg goes second now, with a healthy margin on that head-to-head over the Fiesta of Suninen.
Impressive stuff from the two Toyotas, but neither can topple early leader Tanak. Latvala is six tenths shy, with Lappi a further six tenths back in fourth.
Much stronger starts for the pair, although Latvala did move back into the ruts slightly earlier.
The Toyotas of Lappi and Latvala are next up. Wisely, they've positioned their Yaris' out of the ruts for the start.
Stopwatch
Tanak comes through fastest and stops the clock at 1m34.7s. Ogier's time, incidentally, was 0.8s slower.
Big ruts out there for the drivers, with Tanak wiggling away off the line in his head-to-head against Evans.
Stopwatch
Over as quickly as that for Ogier and Solberg. Slight timing issue means Ogier's time hasn't appeared, but the M-Sport was faster than Solberg who completed in 1m37.6s.
Henning Solberg and championship leader Sebastien Ogier are first up and will be starting the stage any second.
Hello again, we're back for a bit extra. Next up - coverage of the Karlstad superspecial stage.
Autosport
Here's our report from this afternoon's loop. We'll be back a little later on, first with coverage of the Karlstad stage, followed later by the Torsby sprint. Join us again in 80 minutes or so.

WRC Rally Sweden: Tyre strategy helps Neuville extend his lead

Thierry Neuville added to his Rally Sweden lead on Saturday afternoon's loop as he and nearest challenger Craig Breen opted for different tyre strategies

WRC Rally Sweden: Tyre strategy helps Neuville extend his lead
Quote
"Last year I played it safe and I still retired," says Neuville, who adds a win this weekend would be "nice revenge" for missing out on victory last year after damaging his steering. "I touched the inside bank at Colin's Crest."
Stopwatch
Neuville duly goes fastest of all by 4s with a time of 8m28.2s, adding 4.8s to his lead over Breen (which now stands at 18.8s).
Neuville is again the fastest man at the second split and is close to 4s faster than anyone else.
Stopwatch
Mikkelsen puts in a good run from the final split to the finish and goes fastest of all, 0.8s faster than Breen.
Bad news for Breen - Neuville is fastest of all and 2.7s faster than him through the first split. Mikkelsen will be our next man through.
Paddon is through the finish now and second to Breen, 3.3s off the Irishman's pace. Mikkelsen has been through the first split and was 0.1s faster than the Citroen.
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"Yeah," says Breen, who started the stage in second gear, when asked if he thinks he made the correct choice on tyres. "There was a lot more snow there, so it was a bit better. OK, we've still got two icy, tricky stages to go now but it's OK."
Stopwatch
Breen is in now and fastest of all so far by 3.7s. Now the wait for the Hyundais.
Breen's the man to keep an eye on - he's fastest of all so far at the first and second splits.
Quote
"It was a nice feeling," says a chipper Ostberg. "I'm more confident with the car, the jump suddenly is less important. I did quite a good stage - I'm back to basics with the car and it seems to be doing well."
Stopwatch
Good run from Ostberg, who goes fastest by 0.7s from nearest overall challenger Lappi. There's now 8.4s between them in the order.
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Suninen slots into third, but is 6s off Lappi.

"It was a difficult stage," he says. "I just need to improve and try to do a better job."
Nothing to report from Lappi, who's cautious about predicting he may catch Ostberg. It's only 7.7s to bridge, Esapekka!

By: Matt Beer

Published: