Leg 2 round-up: Scandinavians snow best!

Harri Rovanpera (Peugeot) goes into tomorrow's final leg of the Swedish Rally with a narrow 7.3 second lead over the duelling Mitsubishis of Tommi Makinen and Thomas Radstrom. However, the threat of overnight snow will play heavily on the 206 WRC driver's mind. A covering of snow on the stages tomorrow would force him to plough the road for his rivals and almost certainly deny him his first WRC victory - and the forecast for tonight is? Snow!

"It looks like the winner is going to be Scandinavian again," said Rovanpera. "I just hope it's a Finn! I'm very happy but also very worried about my starting position tomorrow. We've seen what happened to Carlos today [running first on the road]."

A Rovanpera win, however, would be a solid reminder that 12 months ago his team won the Swedish Rally. It was also the first major win for Marcus Gronholm who went on to become World Champion. History repeating?

Second placed Makinen, many tipster's favourite to win, said: "I'm not sure what will make the difference tomorrow. At least I don't have to run first like I did on Friday. That should make it easier."

His team mate Radstrom, who will run third on the road tomorrow and is just 12.4secs off the lead, commented: "The cars in front of me will have to clean three of the stages. I hope that will make a difference, because it's going better and better for me with this car."

Carlos Sainz's day started well but the overnight leader was unhappy with his slot as road-clearer to the rally, then stalled his engine on SS9, dropped to fourth overall and has slipped almost 30s behind the leading trio. The odds on him finally ending the Scandinavian domination of this event seem to rest with that snow forecast.

"I think it will be difficult to win now," he admitted. "Tomorrow we repeat two stages and we have seen today that reduces the difference it makes to run further back."

Colin McRae has edged close to the top 10 with four fastest times today, until he experimented with a softer tyre which lost most of its studs, but he still needs at least one manufacturer nominated driver to keel over if he's to bag a point for Ford. Subaru's Richard Burns needs a wipeout at the front if he's to get on the scoresheets, and is now last in Subaru's pecking order for the best rubber, which hasn't helped. Had the British pair not spent 18 minutes between them off the road yesterday, they'd be lying first and second respectively on their stage performances today. A case of what might have been.

Alister McRae's event ended on the first stage today when his Hyundai spluttered to a halt with a sick engine, leaving British interest in the rest of this event lying with Nigel Heath, Natalie Barratt, Nik Elsmore and Ben Briant (co-driven by Blue Peter's Konnie Huq), who all lie much further down the order. Also having a bad day was McRae's team mate Kenneth Eriksson, who lost his top six position with gearbox trouble: "I had to back off several times just to keep going, because the car is running very hot in third gear [he's lost fourth, fifth and sixth]. I don't think I deserve this."

Five stages remain to settle the issue tomorrow. Can Sainz get back to the top or will this be another Swedish Rally that has been stolen by the home team against the odds?


Harri Rovanpera (FIN)/Risto Pietilainen (FIN), Peugeot 206 WRC, 2hr33m09.9s
Tommi Makinen (FIN)/Risto Mannisenmaki(FIN), Mitsubishi Lancer*, +7.3s
Thomas Radstrom (S)/Tina Thorner (S), Mitsubishi Carisma GT*, +12.4s
Carlos Sainz (E)/Luis Moya(E), Ford Focus RS WRC*, +28.5s
Francois Delecour (F)/Daniel Grataloup (F), Ford Focus RS WRC, +1m22.0s
Didier Auriol(F)/Denis Giraudet(F), Peugeot 206 WRC*, +1m28.6s
Petter Solberg (NOR)/Philip Mills(GB), Subaru Impreza WRC*, +1m34.1s
Toni Gardemeister (FIN)/ Paavo Lukander (FIN), Peugeot 206 WRC, +2m00.7s
Daniel Carlsson (S)/Benny Melander (S), Toyota Corolla WRC, +2m56.5s
Kenneth Eriksson (S)/Staffan Parmander (S), Hyundai Accent WRC*, +3m14.2s
Colin McRae (GB)/Nicky Grist(GB), Ford Focus RS WRC*, +3m59.4s

*denotes nominated for manufacturers' championship points