Breen (Hyundai), who had been leading the rally since Friday morning, had to give up the lead to Tänak (M-Sport Ford) after the 14th and penultimate special of the day.

"We had a problem all afternoon and we tried to do the best we could," said the Irish driver who saw the gap widen further in the 15th and final stage.

He did not detail the nature of this problem.

Tänak, WRC world champion in 2019, however, finished the 14th special with a shredded tire, without it seeming to cost him too much time.

But he then had to take a spare tire on the last stage.

"I had a studless tire and it wasn't easy," he said, although he managed to pull away from Breen.

Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), who had had a difficult day the day before due to a precarious state of health, recovered well on Saturday by winning four specials, including the last three of the day.

Belgian driver Thierry Neuville at the wheel of his Hyundai during the third day of Rally Sweden, the second round of the WRC World Rally Championship, February 11, 2023. © Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP

"We are going to attack. As long as the rally is not over, there is always a chance of finishing on the podium", declared the Belgian driver, in the fight for 3rd place with Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota), the champion of the title world.

Esapekka Lappi, still 3rd at the end of the second day on Friday, went off the track on the 13th special and it took several minutes to get the Finn's Hyundai out of the wall of snow, making him lose any chance of finishing on the podium.

Sébastien Ogier (Toyota), winner of the first 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 only Frenchman entered in the queen category, Pierre-Louis Loubet (M-Sport Ford), appeared on Saturday evening in 6th position, almost 2 min 30 sec behind the leader.

French driver Pierre-Louis Loubet driving his MSport-Ford during the third day of Rally Sweden, the second round of the WRC World Rally Championship, February 11, 2023. © Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP

The rally ends on Sunday with three more stages, the last of which, the Power Stage, awards additional points to the world championship.

© 2023 AFP