Solberg Settles for Third

Solberg won the day's first stage but lost second place to Peugeot's Marcus Gronholm before lunch, and lost considerable ground in the afternoon stages after a rock flipped up and hit one of the Impreza's rear brake callipers early on SS15.

Solberg had to get out and make quick repairs to the Impreza after the brake fluid drained during the stage. He blocked off the brakeline, putting considerable emphasis on the car's front brakes. His situation was worsened by an off on the final stage of the day.

Having gone into the afternoon's loop of stages only 1.3 seconds behind Gronholm, he ended the day 35.1 seconds behind the Peugeot driver.

"I was looking forward to a good fight but it looks like that is that," Solberg told Autosport-Atlas. "I don't know what it was exactly. It was something very small inside the calliper. We had zero brakes, and it was very difficult."