The French Sebastien Ogier (Volkswagen Polo R WRC), champion for the last three years and leader of this edition of the World Rally Championship, started the one in Sweden this Friday just like the one in Monte Carlo, at the head of the general classification, while the Spanish Dani Sordo is fifth on the first day.
Ogier took first place on the first stage of the day and did not abandon it. He was also the fastest in the next two stages and only in the fourth did he yield to Kris Meeke (Citroen), but the Briton hit a stone in the penultimate stage and had to leave, just like in Monte Carlo.
The Finn Jari-Matti Latvala, Ogier’s partner at Volkswagen, also left with a broken suspension.
At the end of the six stages of the first day, Ogier, who has already won in Sweden in 2013 and 2015, dominates the general with 26.9 seconds over the New Zealander Hayden Paddon (Hyundai) and 33.7 over the Norwegian Mads Ostberg (Ford ).
“I had to push hard in the afternoon on the snow because I knew that my rivals coming from behind would find a clean line. I have to be happy with this stage, “said the world champion.
Dani Sordo, fifth overall representing the second squad of the Japanese team, Hyundai Mobis, only gave 38.2 seconds to the leader of the Rally. “Overall a good day, although the car was moving a lot. I could have pushed a little more, ”he observed.
Ogier leads the world championship after winning in January in the first round, the Monte Carlo Rally, in which he finished ahead of his partner the Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen and the Belgian of Hyundai Thierry Neuville.
The Rally Sweden is the only round of the World Championship that takes place on snow and ice. This year the race will have only thirteen special stages, since eight of the scheduled stages have had to be canceled due to lack of snow. The last stage will be the ‘power stage’, on Sunday.
Sebastien Ogier extends his dominance in Sweden
