Ogier leads after opening day, Virves tops WRC2

Nine-time world champion Sebastien Ogier of Toyota leads after Friday’s opening day of the World Rally Championship round in Finland, while Robert Virves is first in the WRC2 standings, ERR reported.

Ogier built an advantage during the first half of the day by winning three of the four stages. He also benefited from heavy rain in the afternoon, which made the road conditions difficult.

By Friday evening, Ogier led championship leader Elfyn Evans, also of Toyota, by 16.3 seconds. Sami Pajari was third overall, 26.7 seconds behind, followed by Oliver Solberg at 41.3 seconds and Martinš Sesks of M-Sport Ford at 1 minute and 4.9 seconds.

It was a difficult day for Hyundai. Esapekka Lappi went off the road and rolled on the fourth stage. Thierry Neuville also left the road on the following stage, damaging his car’s suspension. Although the Belgian completed the stage, he lost almost two minutes to the fastest driver.

Adrien Fourmaux was among the top three overall until the seventh stage, but difficult road conditions dropped him to seventh. He finished the day in sixth place, 1 minute and 24.0 seconds behind Ogier.

Virves won three stages in WRC2 and finished among the top three on two others. He leads Finland’s Roope Korhonen of Toyota by 13.5 seconds.

Patrick Enok of Škoda also had a strong day among the Estonian drivers and is fifth overall in WRC2, 41.9 seconds behind the leader. Jaspar Vaher of Toyota is ninth, 1 minute and 4.9 seconds behind, while Romet Jürgenson of Ford is 11th, 1 minute and 13.2 seconds off the lead.

Saturday’s schedule consists of eight stages covering 125.7 competitive kilometres.