Oliver Solberg has seized the early initiative at Rally Portugal, topping the leaderboard after Thursday's opening three special stages. The Toyota GAZOO Racing driver built a solid advantage over his closest rival, setting the pace in what promises to be a demanding weekend of competition.
The battle at the front proved exceptionally tight during the day's first stage, Águeda/Sever. Adrien Fourmaux in his Hyundai claimed the stage victory, but the top three runners were separated by a mere two-tenths of a second, with Elfyn Evans and Solberg also in close contention.
Solberg then made his move on the longer Sever/Albergaria test, pulling out a significant 3.6-second gap over Fourmaux. This performance proved decisive for the overall lead. The super special stage at Figueira da Foz saw both drivers post identical times, allowing Solberg to maintain his 3.4-second cushion heading into Friday's action.
Despite his strong position, the Swedish driver remained measured in his assessment. He described it as a normal start with a long road ahead, emphasizing that each day will present different challenges. He specifically highlighted Friday's demanding conditions for tires and the uncertainty surrounding the weekend weather forecast.
The championship standings show an incredibly competitive field behind the leader. Sébastien Ogier holds third position in another Toyota, just 7.2 seconds off the pace. Reigning champion Thierry Neuville sits fourth in his Hyundai, a mere two-tenths behind Ogier, while Elfyn Evans completes the top five, only one-tenth further back.
The battle for the minor points positions remains equally fierce. Sami Pajari leads the WRC2 category in sixth overall, with Dani Sordo's Hyundai in seventh. Takamoto Katsuta rounds out the top eight for Toyota, while M-Sport Ford's Josh McErlean and John Armstrong complete the top ten.
Russian driver Nikolay Gryazin finds himself in 13th position overall, running a Lancia in the Rally2 category where he currently holds second place. The competitive gaps throughout the field suggest an intense battle for positions as the rally progresses through its remaining stages.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.