Four stages done in Bulgaria, and Petter and Chris are third in the overall classification, only 38 seconds off the lead. Sebastien Loeb, who has been fastest on all today’s stages, is leading the rally, and Dani Sordo is second. Sebastien Ogier overshot a junction on SS3 and dropped from second and is now sixth. Kimi Raikkonen, who was fifth in the overall classification, went off the road on SS4.
“It’s been a fantastic day today, and I’m very happy with third,” says Petter Solberg. “And, also I am very impressed with my new codriver. After 10km into the first stage, he was already up to the pace. We lost some time on SS4 when the rear right tyre went off the rim, and I think we would have been closer to Sordo if that didn’t happened. This is also only my second event in a C4 on tarmac, first one were in Spain 2009, so it is a lot of new aspects this weekend.”
Rally Bulgaria continues with 6 more stages Saturday. First car will be on the road from 07h43 (local time).
Leaderboard after Day 1:
01) S. Loeb/D. Elena (Citroen C4 WRC) – 1hr 05min 26,7sec
02) D. Sordo/M. Marti (Citroen C4 WRC) – 1hr 05min 54,8sec
03) P. Solberg/C. Patterson (Citroen C4 WRC) – 1hr 06min 04,7sec
04) M. Hirvonen/J. Lehtinen (Ford Focus RS WRC) – 1hr 06min 37,6sec
05) J-M. Latvala/M. Anttila (Ford Focus RS WRC) – 1hr 06min 47,9sec
06) S. Ogier/J. Ingrassia (Citroen C4 WRC) – 1hr 06min 58,0sec
07) P-G. Andersson/J. Andersson (Ford Focus RS WRC) – 1hr 07min 53,0sec
08) F. Turan/G Lsiros (Peugeot 307 WRC) – 1hr 08min 15,8sec
09) M. Wilson/S. Martin (Ford Focus RS WRC) – 1hr 09min 12,3sec
10) H. Solberg/I. Minor (Ford Fiesta S2000) – 1hr 10min 10,1sec
– Credit: Petter Solberg World Rally Team