SS3: Radstrom takes control in topsy-turvy rally

World Champion Gronholm's days in the event were numbered when his engine began to overheat on SS2. Despite re-filling his radiator between stages, the Peugeot 206 WRC ran dry again on the 12.78km Bogen test. He limped to the end of the stage, but that's as far as his car was going.

After Richard Burns had lost 13 minutes when his Subaru became stuck on a snowbank on SS2, this time it was Colin McRae's turn. He was second overall after the second test, but crashed his Ford Focus on SS3, forcing co-driver Nicky Grist to alight and dig their way out, but it took 6 minutes and they too seem to have little chance of victory.

After his earlier delay, Burns is now in total red-mist mode. He was fastest on SS3 by 4 seconds from Ford's Carlos Sainz and new leader Radstrom, but the Englishman languishes well down the leaderboard. Both Burns and McRae blamed their own errors, braking too late, but the end result was the same.

Erstwhile leader Harri Rovanpera (Peugeot) was only 14th quickest on SS3, losing 14secs and the lead to Radstrom, but remains in second, ahead of Sainz and Subaru's Markko Martin.

The pair of Hyundai Accents are proving surprisingly swift at this stage. Kenneth Eriksson is just behind Monte winner Tommi Makinen in sixth and Alister McRae is seventh. Makinen complained of spectators getting in his way on the stage, another problem with running first on the road.

The weather conditions have been changing by the day but the crews are currently battling for supremacy on ice-covered roads with a layer of fresh snow on top. Temperatures are hovering around 10 degrees below zero and with clear blue skies. The next stage, Granberget, could be crucial, however. At almost 50kms it is the longest of the event and not for the faint hearted.


Richard Burns (GB)/Robert Reid(GB), Subaru Impreza WRC*, 7m31.7s
Carlos Sainz (E)/Luis Moya(E), Ford Focus RS WRC*, 7m35.2s
Thomas Radstrom (S)/Tina Thorner (S), Mitsubishi Carisma GT, 10m47.6s
Francois Delecour (F)/Daniel Grataloup (F), Ford Focus RS WRC, 7m37.6s
Markko Martin(EST)/Michael Park(GB), Subaru Impreza WRC, 7m38.5s
Alister McRae (GB)/David Senior(GB), Hyundai Accent WRC*, 7m39.7s


Thomas Radstrom (S)/Tina Thorner (S), Mitsubishi Carisma GT, 29m35.7s
Harri Rovanpera (FIN)/Risto Pietilainen (FIN), Peugeot 206 WRC, +0m02.7s
Carlos Sainz (E)/Luis Moya(E), Ford Focus RS WRC*, +0m07.5s
Markko Martin(EST)/Michael Park(GB), Subaru Impreza WRC, +0m09.2s
Tommi Makinen (FIN)/Risto Mannisenmaki(FIN), Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution*, +0m13.9s
Kenneth Eriksson (S)/Staffan Parmander (S), Hyundai Accent WRC*, 0m16.6s

*denotes nominated for manufacturers' championship points