Mikko Hirvonen leads Rally Sweden by 2.9sec over Jari-Matti Latvala amid a thrilling battle on the opening morning. The rally's first four full-length stages have seen three changes of lead already.
Last year's underdog star Mads Ostberg (Adapta Ford) was first to strike, going equal fastest with works Ford driver Latvala on SS2 to depose superspecial winner Dani Sordo's Mini from the outright lead. But Ostberg found his setup less successful on the next two stages and dropped back, as Latvala and Ford teammate Petter Solberg moved into a one-two at the front.
Solberg then lost time with a spin on the short SS4, which Hirvonen won to bring himself right onto Latvala's tail. Another stage win on SS5 then thrust Hirvonen's Citroen to the front, as Latvala rued small but costly brushes with the snow banks.
Ostberg stayed third overall, 10.3sec from first place and just ahead of Sebastien Loeb, whose morning started badly when he received a 10sec penalty for being slightly late out of service when a late decision to add a second spare wheel meant setup changes took too long. The champion was quickest on SS3 and is just ahead of Solberg.
Sordo completes the top six in the Mini, with his teammate Patrik Sandell just behind Evgeny Novikov (M-Sport Ford) in eighth.
Leading positions after SS5:
Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Mikko Hirvonen Citroen 44m17.7s
2. Jari-Matti Latvala Ford + 2.9s
3. Mads Ostberg Adapta Ford + 10.3s
4. Sebastien Loeb Citroen + 12.7s
5. Petter Solberg Ford + 14.6s
6. Dani Sordo Mini + 21.8s
7. Evgeny Novikov M-Sport Ford + 30.5s
8. Patrik Sandell Mini + 1m03.4s
9. Henning Solberg Go Fast Ford + 1m06.1s
10. Eyvind Brynildsen Adapta Ford + 1m25.0s