What a twist Friday turned out to be in Tartu! While many expected a tight duel between Adrien Fourmaux and home hero Ott Tänak, the headlines were stolen by none other than Oliver Solberg, who emerged as the undisputed king of Day 1.
His dominance kicked off with an electrifying performance in SS2 Peipsiääre 1, where he laid down a marker that echoed throughout the Estonian forests. Solberg didn’t just take a stage win—he set the tone, maintaining a blistering pace while the usual suspects—Tänak, Kalle Rovanperä, Fourmaux, and Thierry Neuville—swapped podium positions like a game of rally roulette.
At the end of the day, Solberg stood tall with a 13.7-second lead over Tänak, proving that he’s not just back in Rally1—he’s back to win.
🎙️ Solberg had this to say:
“Fastest again! I looked on the live stream and I saw Ott pushing, so I was like, you know, why not? I tried something new on the car. I got a bit more traction, but I lost a bit of precision. It’s so slippy out there and in these conditions you just need to try to get traction.”
Interestingly, he hinted that if team orders come in, he’s ready to back off—a remark that raises eyebrows and anticipation for what Saturday could bring.
🔥 Key Friday Takeaways:
Solberg leads with consistent pace and smart tyre choices.
Tänak stays close—will home pressure ignite a comeback?
Fourmaux & Neuville show flashes but need more consistency.
Kalle Rovanperä quietly lurking—don’t count him out.
🚨 What to Watch on Saturday:
Can Solberg maintain the lead or will team orders play a role?
Will Tänak unleash full attack mode on home ground?
Is this the calm before a storm from Toyota’s Elfyn Evans?
Rally Fanatics 
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