Breen, 33, has yet to win a WRC championship event.

He set the fastest time in three of the seven stages run on Friday.

He is 2 seconds 6/10ths ahead of the Estonian Ott Tänak (MSport Ford), world champion in 2019.

"It's one of the richest days of my career" in the WRC said the Irish driver.

Reigning world champion Kalle Rovanperä lost more than 12 seconds on the second stage of the rally on Friday morning, suffering from his position as opener, and therefore chief sweeper.

The grip of his Toyota was necessarily less good than that of his rivals who left after him because they were lower in the championship.

"There is a lot of snow and it's very slippery for us. I tried to be as fast as possible but I can't do more", declared the young (22 years old) Finn who however managed to s awarded two specials on Friday, and three in total since the start of the rally on Thursday evening.

He was in 5th position overall, some 30 seconds behind Breen.

Irish Graig Breen's Huyndai, during the 2nd stage of the Tour of Sweden, February 10, 2023 in Brattby © Micke FRANSSON / TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP

Sébastien Ogier (Toyota), winner of the first championship rally of the season, the Monte Carlo, did not line up in Sweden.

Like last season, the eight-time WRC world champion is engaged in a partial program with the Japanese brand.

But he will be at the start of the next rally, in Mexico, from March 16 to 19.

The Belgian Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) was him 6th in the provisional general classification at 36 sec 8/10th from the leader.

Loubet placed

Note the fine performance of Frenchman Paul-Louis Loubet (MSport Ford), with a 2nd time behind Craig Breen in the 5th special which earned him 7th place overall despite a small excursion in the last special run at night.

For the Corsican driver, the event is above all an opportunity to gain experience for his first full season in the WRC.

The only retirement of the day in the premier category, the Japanese Takamoto Katsuta, who replaces Sébastien Ogier in Sweden at the wheel of the third factory Toyota.

He rolled over during SS5 when he was in 5th position.

Although the crew was able to restart, the car suffered heavy damage and Katsuta was forced to retire on the next stage.

Competitors must contest seven more stages on Saturday and three more on Sunday before the finish.

.

Classification of the Swedish rally, second round of the WRC world championship at the end of the second day on Friday:

1. Craig Breen/James Fulton (IRL/IRL) Hyundai: 57:05.5

2. Ott Tänak/Martin Jarveoja (EST/EST) M-Sport Ford at 2.6

3. Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (FIN/FIN) Hyundai at 11.2

4. Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (GBR/GBR) Toyota at 26.5

5. Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen (FIN/FIN) Toyota at 31.1

...

7. Pierre-Louis Loubet/Nicolas Gilsoul (FRA/FRA) M-Sport Ford at 1:16.2

Winners of the special stages:

Craig Breen (SS2, SS5, SS6), Kalle Rovanperä (SS1, SS3, SS8), Takamoto Katsuta (SS4), Ott Tänak (SS7)

© 2023 AFP