Oliver Solberg leads Rally Estonia by 8.5 seconds after Friday morning’s loop of Rally Estonia.
Sensationally storming to a career first World Rally Championship stage win on the opening Peipsiääre test, Solberg dropped two tenths to stage winner Ott Tänak on SS3 but extended his lead as the pack shuffled behind him.
With the first two stages repeated immediately before service, Solberg again went fastest on the second pass of Peipsiääre before dropping 0.9s on the final stage of the loop.
But on his first Rally1 start since 2022, Solberg has either been first or second fastest on all four of the morning tests.
“I’m just trying to drive as good as I can but no risk,” Solberg said.
“You will always get real emotion and passion from me, that is never a problem,” he added, in reference to a teary reaction to his maiden stage win earlier.
Solberg has driven impeccably so far in Estonia
Behind the sensational story out front, a mega battle is brewing between three world champions who are split by just 3.5s in second, third and fourth.
Home hero Tänak leads that pack but is clearly struggling to find the right feeling aboard his Hyundai – commenting he is too “old style” to adapt to the way the car needs to be driven.
He added: “Things are happening so randomly. I’m trying to find my limits, but sometimes with the feedback it’s a bit tricky.”
Winner of Rally Estonia in 2021, 2022 and 2023, Kalle Rovanperä is currently third, 2.2s down on Tänak and facing his familiar struggle with Hankook’s rubber.
Rovanpera said: “I think now in service we try to find some traction, I think that’s an easy way to go faster.”
Reigning world champion Thierry Neuville is another to be “fighting” his car but is in a handsome position, just 1.3s adrift of Rovanperä.
“It seems like everybody is fighting with the conditions and the car – it’s the same for us,” Neuville said. “Rally is all about surprises, so it’s not a surprise that we’re struggling a bit.”
Takamoto Katsuta and Elfyn Evans are currently engaged in a private battle for fifth; Katsuta ahead of the championship leader by just 0.5s.
But the Japanese has cut a frustrated figure so far, complaining of understeer in his Toyota.
Pajari's been driving with one hand figuratively behind his back
Team-mate Sami Pajari’s morning has been a struggle as he battles an intermittent power issue, which he admitted made his GR Yaris Rally1 “scary to drive” at times.
“I would not like to be the unhappy one in the interviews,” he added, “but it just isn’t my day today.”
The Finn finds himself nearly a minute off the lead already and in eighth place – one spot behind Adrien Fourmaux who has been uncharacteristically off the pace; confessing he needs to push harder.
Josh McErlean leads the M-Sport change in ninth, 1.8s ahead of Mãrtiņš Sesks who had a “stupid” spin on SS3, with Grégoire Munster another 18.2s back after a puncture on SS4.
In WRC2, Robert Virves holds a dominant lead of 33.3s ahead of Estonian compatriot Georg Linnamäe – renewing their battle from 2024 when the event was in the European Rally Championship.
Title hopeful Nikolay Gryazin retired after the opening stage of the day with broken suspension.
