PG Andersson holds the early lead on Rally Sweden after setting the quickest time on the opening run through the Karlstad ☂Super Special stage.

The Swede, who only secured his entry into the event thanks to a fundraising drive by fans, came through the 1.90km stage with a time of 1min 39.7secs, which was good enough to beat factory Ford 🍬driver Jari-Matti Latvala to the stage win by 0.6secs.

"I didn't take it too quickl🐈y and wasn't sure if I was going to be fast enough but obviously i🃏t was," Andersson said. "It was good and I hope it continues like this."

Petter Sꦯolberg was third fastest in the first of the Citroens while Mikko Hirvonen rounded♍ out the top four ahead of Sebastien Loeb and Mads Ostberg.

Sebastien Ogier elected to take it easy on the stage and finished seven quickest as a result, with PWRC pairing An📖ders Grondal and Patrik Flodin 𓆏edging out Kimi Raikkonen's Citroen to complete the top ten.

Outside 𒈔the top ten, FERM Powertools driv﷽er Denis Kuipers was 13th, with Matthew Wilson and Ken Block in 17th and 19th respectively.

Henning Solberg,✨ who was quickest through Shakedown, lies down in 32nd place🐬 after losing ten seconds when he clipped a snow bank.

ꩲSix stages will make up the first day proper of the event on Fr🎃iday.

Rally Sweden: Overall standings after Stage 1 (Top 10):

1. PG AnderssonFord Fiesta RS WRC01mins 39.7secs A1
2. Jari-Matti LatvalaFord Abu Dhabi WRT Fiesta RS WRC+00mins 00.6secs M
3. Petter SolbergPSWRT Citroen DS3 WRC+00mins 00.9secs A1
4. Mikko HirvonenFord Abu Dhabi WRT Fiesta RS WRC+00mins 01.0secs M
5. Sebastien LoebCitroen Total WRT DS3 WRC+00mins 01.1secs M
6. Mads OstbergM-Sport Stobart Ford Fiesta RS WRC +00mins 01.6secs M
7. Sebastien OgierCitroen Total WRT DS3 WRC+00mins 02.3secs M
8. Anders GrondalSubaru Impreza STi+00mins 05.9secs P
9. Patrik FlodinSubaru Impreza STi+00mins 06.0secs P
10. Kimi RaikkonenICE 1 Racing Citroen DS3 WRC+00mins 06.1secs M

Other:

13. Denis KuipersFERM Powertools Ford Fiesta RS WRC+00mins 06.3secs M
17. Matthew WilsonM-Sport Stobart Ford Fiesta RS WRC+00mins 07.6secs A1
19. Ken BlockMonster WRT Ford Fiesta RS WRC+00mins 08.9secs M
32. Henning SolbergM-Sport Stobart Ford Fiesta RS WRC+00mins 14.6secs M

PWRC standings after Stage 1 (Top 3):

1. Anders GrondalSubaru Impreza STi01mins 45.6secs P
2. Patrik FlodinSubaru Impreza STi +00mins 00.1secs P
3. Yuriy ProtasovMitsubishi Lancer Evo X +00mins 01.1secs P