Petter Solberg fastest on Superspecial

Subaru’s Petter Solberg took the early lead of the Swedish Rally after winning Thursday night’s Superspecial.

From 2000hrs thousands of fans watched the drivers go head-to-head around a floodlit 1.9km circuit, built on Karlstad’s horse-trotting track.

The unseasonably mild weather meant competitors raced on a mixture of ice and frozen gravel rather than packed snow, but the track held up well to the pounding of the cars and their studded tyres and there were no problems for the leading crews.

The ‘proper’ stage action begins on Friday morning at 0800hrs CET, when crews leave Karlstad for six stages in the countryside north of Karlstad. Road conditions outside the city are far more representative of a Swedish winter; with good levels of snow and ice reported on each of the stages.

Friday’s first stage, SS2, starts at 0934hrs CET. You can follow the stage times LIVE here at wrc.com.