Ekstrom praises Skoda performance

The former DTM champion regularly competes in his home event, but last year was the first chance he got to compete in WRC machinery, when he drove a works Skoda and finished 10th.

Ekstrom says he notices the differences in the car having been away from the sport for a year.

"We have made some improvements," Ekstrom said. "I've not been here for a year, but the team has made the car quicker.

"Everybody else is also going quicker, it will be interesting to see how we can fight with the other guys. I hadn't done any rallies since the Swedish last year, then last weekend I had some testing and tried to do a national rally, but we stopped in SS1. We lost a wheel in the forest.

"The preparation is not massive like last year, but I have the experience from last year. This is something I would like to change for the future, if I come again.

"As for the car, we have a little bit more ground clearance, which is good because the car doesn't bottom as much, and it helps because we run the car quite soft. And the five-speed gearbox helps quite a lot."