Seconds out, round two!

The weather today is markedly chillier than in recent years at around minus five degrees, and overnight snowfall means the stages should reflect Sweden's billing as the snow rally of the World Championship. Fortunately, the conditions are nothing like that faced during the recce, where temperatures dipped into the minus 30s!

Marcus Gronholm was quickest for Peugeot in yesterday's shakedown, his 4m09.8s time pipping Ford's Colin McRae 4m11.4s, Petter Solberg (Subaru) on 4m13.8s, Markko Martin (Subaru) set 4m14.0s and Tommi Makinen (Mitsubishi) completed the top five in 4m17.5s.

Makinen is first on to the day's stages, the 20.74km Bjalverud test, as he won last month's Monte Carlo Rally. Makinen received a trophy - made from solidified lava! - from Michelin on the eve of the rally to mark his third Monte Carlo success.

Peugeot's challenge, meanwhile, is blunted slightly by the fact new recruit Didier Auriol is suffering from bronchitis, but the brave Frenchman has definitely started the event.

For all the latest news from the stages, keep up-to-date with Autosport.com.


7 Tommi Makinen (FIN)/Risto Mannisenmaki(FIN), Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
3 Carlos Sainz (E)/Luis Moya(E), Ford Focus RS WRC
17 Francois Delecour (F)/Daniel Grataloup (F), Ford Focus RS WRC
11 Armin Schwarz (D)/Manfred Hiemer(D), Skoda Octavia WRC
23 Toni Gardemeister (FIN)/ Paavo Lukander (FIN), Peugeot 206 WRC
8 Freddy Loix (B)/Sven Smeets(B), Mitsubishi Carisma GT
1 Marcus Gronholm (FIN)/Timo Rautiainen (FIN), Peugeot 206 WRC
2 Didier Auriol(F)/Denis Giraudet(F), Peugeot 206 WRC
4 Colin McRae (GB)/Nicky Grist(GB), Ford Focus RS WRC
5 Richard Burns (GB)/Robert Reid(GB), Subaru Impreza WRC
6 Petter Solberg (NOR)/Philip Mills(GB), Subaru Impreza WRC
9 Kenneth Eriksson (S)/Staffan Parmander (S), Hyundai Accent WRC
10 Alister McRae (GB)/David Senior(GB), Hyundai Accent WRC