Loeb takes early lead in Sweden

Ahead of Hirvonen and Sordo

By Franck Drui

12 February 2010 - 13:50
Loeb takes early lead in Sweden

Defending World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb moved ahead of his Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo into the lead of Rally Sweden after setting the fastest time though the first forest stage of the event.

Under clear skies and in a temperature of -22 degrees Celsius, Loeb threaded his Citroen C4 WRC through the 20.78km Likenas test 1.9sec quicker than anybody else, moving into the rally lead by one second. Stage conditions were rock hard and icy, thanks to water spraying of the road prior to the event.

Citroen Total team drivers Sebastien Loeb and Dani Sordo were the two quickest drivers through Friday’s second stage, enabling them pull slightly ahead at the top of the overall leaderboard.

With only three of the rally’s 21 stages completed the top ten remains tight, but two consecutive stage wins from Loeb have moved the Frenchman 4.5sec ahead of his chief title rival Mikko Hirvonen, who holds third place.

None of the leading WRC entries reported problems through the brand new 21.28km Viggen stage, which was dominated by the Ford and Citroen factory team drivers.

Ford team-leader Mikko Hirvonen ended Citroen’s run of stage wins on SS4, taking his first fastest time of the rally and moving up to second overall.The Finn rounded off Friday morning’s loop of stages with a time through Torntorp four-tenths quicker than that of his closest rival, rally leader Sebastien Loeb.

After struggling to get comfortable on Friday’s opening ice-covered stage, Hirvonen was far happier on the hard packed snow surface of Torntorp. "For the first time I’m sweating a bit, so things are going in the right direction!" he said. "Before the stage we changed the car set-up a bit, not too much though; it’s all about the small things. Overall it’s not too bad. We’re not too far behind."

Before heading to Hagfors for the midday 30-minute service, Loeb, who is 4.1sec ahead of Hirvonen overall, couldn’t explain why his rival had beaten him. "I wasn’t so confident - a little too hesitant - but I don’t know why," he said. "The stage before I knew it was good time, this one I’m not so sure."

Dani Sordo was third fastest through SS4 to hold the same position overall, 1.9 seconds behind Hirvonen. But like his team-mate Loeb, the Spaniard didn’t have a great feeling in his C4 during the stage. "I drove fast but there was a lot of snow and the car was moving a lot at the rear" he explained. "I didn’t get a very good feeling at the start, when the car was very nervous, but it got better as the stage went on. It’s a difficult stage and I think it could be worse on the repeat."

Fourth overall, 12 seconds adrift of Sordo, Ford Focus driver Jari-Matti Latvala was also yet to find his groove. "The rhythm is difficult to find here," he said. "I’m braking too early, not being brave enough in some corners. Okay, we’re not too far away [from the leaders] but we can’t lose more than this. We need to come up with some ideas in service."

Citroen Junior team driver Sebastien Ogier rounded off the top five places in his C4 WRC. "The feeling in the car is getting better as we go on," he said. "Maybe I’m being too safe, but I’m still here and for the moment that’s not too bad for my first Rally Sweden."

Eight seconds further back in sixth, Marcus Gronholm was hoping his Stobart Ford mechanics could help him unlock the sort of form on snow which has netted him five Swedish wins in the past. "For now it doesn’t feel like my car," explained the Finn. "We need to do something but for the moment I don’t really know what. I need to find more confidence."

Mads Ostberg ended an encouraging morning in his Subaru Impreza in seventh place, with two disappointed Solberg brothers right behind. "I think we have to change the gearbox, I have something strange with the handling - some snake problems," said eighth placed Henning.

In ninth, younger brother Petter said: "I wanted more, but I’ve lost a lot of time somewhere. Maybe I’m being too careful, I don’t know. But I’m trying and I’ll keep on pushing."

Briton Matthew Wilson completed the top 10 places with Kimi Raikkonen 29.2sec further back in 11th.

After service, crews will repeat the morning loop of stages before driving south to Karlstad for a second attempt at the Super Special Stage.

Standings after SS4:

Pos. Driver Car Time
01 Sébastien LOEB Citroën C4 WRC 33m53.2s
02 Mikko HIRVONEN Ford Focus WRC +4.1s
03 Dani SORDO Citroën C4 WRC +6.0s
04 Jari-Matti LATVALA Ford Focus WRC +18.0s
05 Sébastien OGIER Citroën C4 WRC +34.4s
06 Marcus GRÖNHOLM Ford Focus WRC +42.5s
07 Mads ÖSTBERG Subaru Impreza WRC +54.6s
08 Henning SOLBERG Ford Focus WRC +58.1s
09 Petter SOLBERG Citroën C4 WRC +58.6s
10 Matthew WILSON Ford Focus WRC +1m39.7s
11 Kimi RÄIKKÖNEN Citroën C4 WRC +2m08.9s
12 P-G ANDERSSON Skoda Fabia S2000 +2m18.2s
13 Janne TUOHINO Ford Fiesta S2000 +2m45.5s
14 Martin PROKOP Ford Fiesta S2000 +3m10.7s
15 Andreas MIKKELSEN Ford Fiesta S2000 +3m13.3s

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