SS1: Loeb fastest on Finland opener

World championship leader Sebastien Loeb has won the opening stage of Neste Oil Rally Finland.

The 38-year-old chose to run 10th on the road in his Citroen Total World Rally Team DS3 WRC and was satisfied with the level of grip he experienced. “I’ve done a good stage with no mistakes,” said Loeb. “It’s very important to start with a good rhythm in Finland. I tried to take it quite aggressive and now we will see.”

Petter Solberg was thrilled with the second fastest time for the Ford World Rally Team, 1.6s down on Loeb. “I’m very happy with that actually,” said Solberg. “I put on different damper settings, it was working well and the car was fantastic.”

Thierry Neuville shone on his Rally Finland debut with the third quickest run in his Citroen Junior World Rally Team DS3 WRC. Despite clocking a time that was 2.1s off Loeb’s pace, the Belgian said he was “not happy”, adding: “I was braking a lot, too early for each corner and the car was moving too much.”

Jari-Matti Latvala was 2.2s down on Loeb in his works Fiesta RS WRC. He said: “I wasn’t confident enough in the middle of the stage. It took too long time to get a relaxed feeling.”

Mads Ostberg impressed as the leading privateer with the fifth best time for the Adapta World Rally Team. “I did some mistakes in the beginning of the stage and couldn’t take the time back again,” said the Norwegian. “But it was okay and I learned more about the grip. I could have gone a lot quicker.”

Loeb’s team-mate Mikko Hirvonen set the sixth fastest time, 2.4s down on last year’s Rally Finland winner. “The rally won’t be decided on this stage,” he said. “The car was really good but at the end I was trying too hard and the car was sliding too much.”

Chris Atkinson was pleased with his performance after clocking a time 4.6s slower than Loeb on his first competitive outing in a Citroen DS3 WRC and his first start in the world championship since early March.

Ott Tanak, competing in Finland on the back of a run of disappointing results, said he lacked confidence and was braking in places where he shouldn’t have been, while Matti Rantanen stalled the engine of his similar Fiesta at the start of the stage.

Ken Block completed the stage in a time of 7m26.0s despite a big moment in his Monster World Rally Team Fiesta. “In one corner I was too fast and it put me into a bank and up on two wheels on a right-hand turn,” said the American. “I guess that’s a good introduction to Rally Finland for me.”

Finnish privateer Riku Tahko was the fastest of the three MINI John Cooper Works WRCs. He said: “It’s so much fun to drive the car but I can’t say I’m as fast as I would like. I need to improve but it’s quite slippery and I can’t keep my line.”

WRC Team MINI Portugal driver Armindo Araujo said: “The car is working well but we need to increase the speed and win some more confidence with the pace notes.”

Sebastian Lindholm, who is running first on the road over Thursday’s trio of stages on his first start in the world championship since 2007, said he was still getting used to his Ford Fiesta RS WRC. “I have to learn the car because I’m using too small gears,” said the 51-year-old. “It’s nice to be starting first but the road was slippery and it will definitely be better for the guys running behind.”