Mini’s Dani Sordo led the way in the Rally of Sweden, the second leg of the World Rally Championship, after winning Thursday evening’s super-special stage at Karlstad, 300km west of Stockholm.
Spaniard Sordo laid down a marker over the 1.9km stage ahead of Friday’s nine specials – four of which will take place over the border in Norway – to finish 0.3sec ahead of snow conditions specialist Mads Ostberg of Ford Fiesta in freezing temperatures.
Sordo was delighted with his start.
“The stage was really, really nice,” he told WRC.com. “We are happy now but it was just a short stage and tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
Estonia’s Ott Tanak was third quickest at 0.3sec behind fellow Ford driver Ostberg.
Eight-time champion Sebastien Loeb of Citroen was joint fourth with Norway’s Petter Solberg of Ford.
Solberg said he hoped home advantage could help his cause on Friday when the race crosses the border.
“I’m very excited for the rally moving to Norway tomorrow. It’s going to be an amazing atmosphere with my home fans!”
Earlier, Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala had clocked the fastest time in his Ford during the inaugural qualifying stage.
Latvala, winner in Sweden in 2008, clocked 1min 53.516sec to finish ahead of compatriot Mikko Hirvonen, Citroen’s latest recruit and winner of the past two editions of this event raced on snow and ice where Ford are bidding to win their sixth consecutive title.
Loeb admitted he found the conditions “tricky” as he negotiated the icy track but was satisfied with his time on the 3.99km ice-coated test in the qualifying stage.
“I didn’t want to be first. I prefer to know where the others are,” admitted the 37-year-old French Citroen driver who is looking for his second win in as many races after his victory in the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally.
“The aim wasn’t to be last either! I didn’t take big risks. Rather than to make one (error), it’s better to have a reasonable time, to be in the top five or six.”
Loeb has only won once in Sweden, in 2004 – the year of his first world title success.
“It’s not a surface on which I excel, but I love competing here,” he said.
“It’s actually one of the season’s most enjoyable rallies. If you look at my record here in previous rallies, it has often been the conditions that have made things more difficult for me.
“When the stages have roads covered with a good layer of sheer ice, I think I’m just as fast as my rivals.”
