WRC Rally Sweden
Live Text
Sort by
Quote
He's in, and he's 15.6s up on Meeke, a big time from the Estonian.
"The conditions are better than yesterday," says Tanak. "It was really nice."
Really nice indeed. He was 22.8s behind his team-mate Latvala – who held eighth going into this stage. Latvala could well be moving up here.
"The conditions are better than yesterday," says Tanak. "It was really nice."
Really nice indeed. He was 22.8s behind his team-mate Latvala – who held eighth going into this stage. Latvala could well be moving up here.
Quote
Meeke's in, and he's fastest so far by three seconds over Ogier.
"I'm fourth on the road, there's only three cars to beat," says Meeke. "The conditions are much better than yesterday."
LATVALA IS FLYING!
"I'm fourth on the road, there's only three cars to beat," says Meeke. "The conditions are much better than yesterday."
LATVALA IS FLYING!
Quote
Elfyn Evans is in and is 4s slower than Ogier.
"It's better, the conditions are better than yesterday," he says. "I'm happier with the car but in places it's not the ultimate in performance."
"It's better, the conditions are better than yesterday," he says. "I'm happier with the car but in places it's not the ultimate in performance."
Stopwatch
Ott Tanak is 9s up on Ogier at 10km, so he's absolutely flying.
Latvala is a minute down at the first split, so we'll keep an eye on whether he has an issue.
Latvala is a minute down at the first split, so we'll keep an eye on whether he has an issue.
Quote
It's still very snowy, although there appears to at least be a path for Ogier to follow.
He's completed 2m22.6s quicker than Solberg.
"There's not so much we can catch," he says. "I enjoyed the stage, I have good memories of this stage because it is where we won the first event with the Polo in 2013."
He's completed 2m22.6s quicker than Solberg.
"There's not so much we can catch," he says. "I enjoyed the stage, I have good memories of this stage because it is where we won the first event with the Polo in 2013."
Stopwatch
Excitable Norwegian Henning Solberg is through the stage and he's completed in 10m45.4s.
Information
Starting the stage, this was the order. It's a narrow order and we're bound to get a positional change or two on this stage alone.
1 Neuville
2 Mikkelsen +4.9s
3 Paddon +12.1s
4 Breen +12.6s
5 Ostberg +13.2s
6 Suninen +29.6s
7 Lappi +38.5s
8 Latvala +1m06.2s
9 Tanak +1m29.0s
10 Meeke +1m43.6s
11 Evans +2m41.3s
12 Ogier +2m48.8s
1 Neuville
2 Mikkelsen +4.9s
3 Paddon +12.1s
4 Breen +12.6s
5 Ostberg +13.2s
6 Suninen +29.6s
7 Lappi +38.5s
8 Latvala +1m06.2s
9 Tanak +1m29.0s
10 Meeke +1m43.6s
11 Evans +2m41.3s
12 Ogier +2m48.8s
Elfyn Evans and Sebastien Ogier are also underway. Evans (puncture) and Ogier (snow plow) both had awful days yesterday, with the former 11th and the latter 12th.
Quote
Who better than 2003 champion Petter Solberg to take you through this morning's stages? He's doing the national rally in a Ford Escort Mk2 prepared by old co-driver Phill Mills and his Viking Motorsport outfit.
SS9/12 Torntorp (12.35 miles)
"The first part, maybe a kilometer or so, of this stage is new, but the rest of it is coming back to the route for the first time since 2014.
"In the beginning and towards the end the stage is a bit more twisty, but there’s some really fast sections in the middle.
"When you get the car in top gear and you are really pushing through the open fields, it’s an incredible feeling – I think this is a good one for the fans too.
"There’s a spectator area in Bjorklangen at the end of a fast section with a hairpin left into a tight right – these really slow you down after being in top gear."
SS9/12 Torntorp (12.35 miles)
"The first part, maybe a kilometer or so, of this stage is new, but the rest of it is coming back to the route for the first time since 2014.
"In the beginning and towards the end the stage is a bit more twisty, but there’s some really fast sections in the middle.
"When you get the car in top gear and you are really pushing through the open fields, it’s an incredible feeling – I think this is a good one for the fans too.
"There’s a spectator area in Bjorklangen at the end of a fast section with a hairpin left into a tight right – these really slow you down after being in top gear."
Green flag
Henning Solberg has started the stage.
Autosport
Good morning, and a warm welcome to the WRC's coldest event, Rally Sweden, and the morning loop which isn't far away now.
Autosport
Here's the full end-of-day round-up, we'll be back Live with all the action from the start of tomorrow's stages at 6.45am UK time in the morning: 
Information
SS8 summary:
* Neuville consolidates a 4.9s lead over Mikkelsen
* Breen is lured into making a mistake and falls from thrd to fourth...
* ...as Paddon goes fastest and jumps from fifth to third
* Ogier loses 11th to team-mate Evans
* Neuville consolidates a 4.9s lead over Mikkelsen
* Breen is lured into making a mistake and falls from thrd to fourth...
* ...as Paddon goes fastest and jumps from fifth to third
* Ogier loses 11th to team-mate Evans
Information
SS8 results:
Leading stage times:
1 Paddon 6m23.8s
2 Neuville +2.9s
3 Mikkelsen +3.0s
4 Lappi +3.6s
5 Ostberg +5.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Neuville
2 Mikkelsen +4.9s
3 Paddon +12.1s
4 Breen +12.6s
5 Ostberg +13.2s
6 Suninen +29.6s
7 Lappi +38.5s
8 Latvala +1m06.2s
9 Tanak +1m29.0s
10 Meeke +1m43.6s
11 Evans +2m41.3s
12 Ogier +2m48.8s
Leading stage times:
1 Paddon 6m23.8s
2 Neuville +2.9s
3 Mikkelsen +3.0s
4 Lappi +3.6s
5 Ostberg +5.7s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Neuville
2 Mikkelsen +4.9s
3 Paddon +12.1s
4 Breen +12.6s
5 Ostberg +13.2s
6 Suninen +29.6s
7 Lappi +38.5s
8 Latvala +1m06.2s
9 Tanak +1m29.0s
10 Meeke +1m43.6s
11 Evans +2m41.3s
12 Ogier +2m48.8s
Quote
"It's really tricky," says Ostberg. "I don't understand how a single car can be at the end, the lines are going in every direction!"
Ostberg is fifth quickest, so ends up in the same place overall to finish the day - Paddon has jumped up two places on this stage!
Stopwatch
Mega time from Paddon - he goes fastest so far by 2.9s - and that takes him past Breen into what's currently third! Where will Ostberg fit in?
Big question now is whether Ostberg can benefit from Breen's error to recoup the 5s deficit and reclaim fifth place. He's taken a couple of seconds off his Citroen team-mate at the first split.
Suninen is next through, fourth fastest so far. That means he does concede a bit of ground to Lappi, who's chasing him for sixth. That gap comes down to 8.9s.
"Not really good," says Suninen, who says he had a problem with his lights there.
"Not really good," says Suninen, who says he had a problem with his lights there.
Breen loses 7s to the Hyundais, which means he's 12s off the lead in third - or maybe fourth, depending on Ostberg.
Breen explains that he went wide following someone else's lines on the road and clouted a snow bank.
Breen explains that he went wide following someone else's lines on the road and clouted a snow bank.
At the final split, Breen is about 5s off the Hyundais - which means the lead battle going into Saturday might be all-i20 after all.
Quote
"I'm really happy with the day," says Mikkelsen. "We've been driving pretty clean all day. It would be nice to fight for the win and I hope I wake up on the right foot tomorrow."
But again Neuville's end to a stage is stronger - Mikkelsen actually comes in a tenth slower than his team-mate.
That means Neuville leads the rally by 4.9s over Mikkelsen overnight.
That means Neuville leads the rally by 4.9s over Mikkelsen overnight.
Second and third placed Mikkelsen and Breen are next through - Mikkelsen on course to take about a second out of Neuville's lead, but Breen losing ground a little.
Quote
Still waiting for Evans's time to come into the system to confirm he's taken 11th off Evans, Lappi pops in second fastest and very chatty about stage conditions:
"Quite messy, really messy! A lot of loose snow. The guys have gone everywhere. I'm really impressed that they have not got stuck in the ditches because the marks are quite deep."
"Quite messy, really messy! A lot of loose snow. The guys have gone everywhere. I'm really impressed that they have not got stuck in the ditches because the marks are quite deep."
Stopwatch
Strong start to this stage from Lappi - he's 1.7s quicker than Neuville at split one and therefore fastest so far at that point. He's on a comeback mission after the mistake that dropped him from second to seventh.
Meanwhile, Evans is comfortably on course to surge past Ogier and dump the champion to 12th and second on the road behind Solberg tomorrow.
Stopwatch
First up, Neuville blitzes all who have come before - fastest so far by 6.3s over Latvala. Will that be enough to keep him ahead of Mikkelsen and Breen in the rally lead?
"I try to give my best. Obviously our car is working very well over here and I feel comfortable. It's not easy," says Neuville.
"I try to give my best. Obviously our car is working very well over here and I feel comfortable. It's not easy," says Neuville.
Quote
Meeke comes in third quickest, 10s off Latvala's early pace, but fully expecting to be blown away by the likes of Neuville, Breen, Paddon and Mikkelsen.
"Those behind us have incredible speed and I can't follow - I don't have the confidence," says Meeke.
"Those behind us have incredible speed and I can't follow - I don't have the confidence," says Meeke.
Stopwatch
Sure enough, Latvala beats Tanak by another 7s - and Latvala is another man whose road position hasn't been very good for him this afternoon. As Latvala said earlier, the running order is having a much bigger effect in Sweden this season than we've seen in recent years.
Stopwatch
Tanak beats Ogier by 6.1s on the stage. Right now, Tanak is going to start tomorrow a distant ninth on the leaderboard and a slightly more useful fifth in the running order.
Quote
"There was not much I could do today," says Ogier at the stage finish.
When it's pointed out that he'll be pretty early in the running order tomorrow at this rate too, Ogier ironically and gloomily replies "it's a good weekend..."
When it's pointed out that he'll be pretty early in the running order tomorrow at this rate too, Ogier ironically and gloomily replies "it's a good weekend..."
Even on this short stage, Ogier is 3s off Tanak on the splits - and based on recent stages most people will be quicker than Tanak too.
Ogier is onto the stage. He's miles from the front and faces a huge job to salvage anything from this weekend, but if he can just stay ahead of M-Sport team-mate Evans for 11th - and they're currently 1.2s apart - then Ogier will at least have one more car ahead of him in the Saturday running order.
Information
Here we go for the final stage of Friday - the relatively short, sharp blast of Torsby at sunset. Here are Seb Marshall's notes on it:
SS8 Torsby (5.9 miles)
There's a bit of everything in here, it starts out with some really twisty sections, but then we get much quicker after a hairpin left and eventually come out alongside the lake before we run down alongside the service park.
"We use this stage a fair bit, so it's possible it could be a bit rutted by the time we come here last thing on Sunday for the powerstage."
SS8 Torsby (5.9 miles)
There's a bit of everything in here, it starts out with some really twisty sections, but then we get much quicker after a hairpin left and eventually come out alongside the lake before we run down alongside the service park.
"We use this stage a fair bit, so it's possible it could be a bit rutted by the time we come here last thing on Sunday for the powerstage."
David Evans
Asked what he'd bought his wife for her birthday, he replied: "This Escort.""/>
Petter Solberg leads Rally Sweden Historic. We think. The 2003 World Rally champion (and winner of Rally Sweden in '05) was fastest on three of the day's four stages, but official times at the end of the day were unavailable at the time of typing because… a Saab driver took out the flying finish at the end of Torsby!
Solberg, who is co-driven by his wife Pernilla (who celebrates her birthday today) told Autosport: "It's been a good day. The Svullrya stage was really difficult, it's so twisty and rutted and with no powersteering in our car, it was quite tough. "But tomorrow's probably the better of the two days for us; the stages are a bit more flowing in Sweden, they should suit the Escort a bit more."
Asked what he'd bought his wife for her birthday, he replied: "This Escort."
A 20-minute pause now, then we hit Torsby for the Friday finale with the lead up for grabs, Breen on the march and an awful lot to sort out before Saturday's all-important running order is decided.
Information
SS7 summary:
* Neuville rebuilds his lead over Mikkelsen to 4.8s
* Breen takes third from Ostberg
* Ogier loses 50s to leaders and picks up front end damage but prefers not to discuss it
* Neuville rebuilds his lead over Mikkelsen to 4.8s
* Breen takes third from Ostberg
* Ogier loses 50s to leaders and picks up front end damage but prefers not to discuss it
Information
SS7 results:
Leading stage times:
1 Breen 10m06.1s
2 Neuville +2.2s
3 Ostberg +5.6s
4 Lappi +5.7s
5 Mikkelsen +6.0s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Neuville
2 Mikkelsen +4.8s
3 Breen +5.4s
4 Ostberg +10.4s
5 Paddon +15.0s
6 Suninen +25.5s
7 Lappi +37.8s
8 Latvala +59.9s
9 Tanak +1m14.6s
10 Meeke +1m27.3s
11 Ogier +2m28.3s
12 Evans +2m29.5s
Leading stage times:
1 Breen 10m06.1s
2 Neuville +2.2s
3 Ostberg +5.6s
4 Lappi +5.7s
5 Mikkelsen +6.0s
Overall leaderboard:
1 Neuville
2 Mikkelsen +4.8s
3 Breen +5.4s
4 Ostberg +10.4s
5 Paddon +15.0s
6 Suninen +25.5s
7 Lappi +37.8s
8 Latvala +59.9s
9 Tanak +1m14.6s
10 Meeke +1m27.3s
11 Ogier +2m28.3s
12 Evans +2m29.5s
Quote
"I need to do changes to the car to be more competitive," says Ostberg. "It doesn't feel good. I haven't tried any of what I'm doing now on the test. I had some big moments early on the stage, I don't know if it's better or not."
By: Matt Beer
Published:
Lap:
