Ford driver Marcus Grönholm leads the three-day Uddeholm Swedish Rally, the second round of the FIA World Rally Championship, after today’s first leg of competition. The Finnish former World Champion, who won the Rallye Monte Carlo two weeks ago, took the lead after the first of the day’s six stages and overnights with a 10.2 second advantage.

Reigning World Champion Sébastien Loeb holds second in a Citroën Xsara and the Frenchman could well have been just tenths of a second adrift of Grönholm, but for a 10 second lateness penalty which he picked up when the bonnet of the Xsara flew open before the start of the second stage.

Petter Solberg, who has never won this winter rally, had a difficult day. A broken rear drive-shaft saw him lose nearly a minute in the opening stage and a further two minutes in the second test of the day. The Norwegian Subaru driver then suffered gear selection problems this afternoon and overnights in 21st position.

Third overnight is Gigi Galli in a privately-run Mitsubishi. The Italian won one of the day’s stages but is nearly a minute adrift of Grönholm after 131 kilometres of competition.

Uddeholm Swedish Rally – Results after Leg 1

1. Marcus Grönholm/Timo Rautiainen  Ford Focus RS WRC 1 hr 12 min 29.8sec
2. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena  Citroën Xsara WRC  1 hr 12 min 40.0sec
3. Gigi Galli/Giovanni Bernacchini  Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 1 hr 13 min 27.3sec
4. Daniel Carlsson/Bo Holmstrand  Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 1 hr 13 min 32.8sec
5. Mattias Ekström/Stefan Bergmann Škoda Fabia WRC  1 hr 13 min 52.2sec
6. Manfred Stohl/Ilka Minor   Peugeot 307 WRC  1 hr 13 min 58.5sec

Note to Editors:  For a copyright free image of rally leader Marcus Grönholm, please click here.