Petter quickest on Friday’s opener

Petter Solberg was the fastest driver through Friday’s opening stage of Rally Japan - the first ’proper’ gravel test of the event.

Despite suffering from a bout of ‘flu, the Norwegian shot through the 26km Iwanke test 3.2sec quicker than his nearest rival, fellow Citroen C4 driver Sebastien Ogier.

Ogier led the rally after Thursday’s two Super Special stages and held on to the position after SS3. Solberg however moved up from eleventh place overnight to second, 2.5sec adrift of Ogier.

Dani Sordo was third fastest on stage three, setting a time 8sec slower than Ogier’s.

Defending world champion Sebastien Loeb was sixth fastest; 24sec slower than Solberg and baffled by his lack of pace. “There’s no reason. I was trying to push but I cannot keep the car in the line,” he said. “It’s very slippery, so maybe it’s road condition, but not so much. We have to check.”

Khalid Al Qassimi became the first WRC retirement of the event. The BP Ford Abu Dhabi team driver rolled his Ford Focus 1.2km from the start line.