Sweden WRC: Tanak seals victory with Power Stage win

Tanak therefore moves into a seven-point lead in the championship standings ahead of Hyundai’s Neuville.

“It’s amazing to win here,” said Tanak. “I know how hard my friend Markko [Martin, Tanak’s fellow Estonian] was pushing and he got very close. I’m very relieved to get it.

“On the Power Stage I just went with a good rhythm again – just a bit faster than normal but no risks. It was a good stage.”

Esapekka Lappi, Neuville and Andreas Mikkelsen began the stage split by less than 10 seconds in the fight for second place behind Tanak, with Lappi and Neuville separated by only 4.4s.

Citroen driver Lappi looked in danger of dropping behind Neuville after dropping time early on, but he managed to end strongly and drop only one second, allowing him to keep the runner-up spot.

Mikkelsen was a disappointing ninth on the Power Stage, but the Hyundai driver narrowly kept fourth place overall ahead of Elfyn Evans, who was third-fastest in his M-Sport Ford.

Citroen pair Sebastien Ogier – who was ruled out of contention after hitting a snowbank on Friday – and Lappi completed the scorers on the Power Stage, Ogier taking the fourth-best time despite being among the first runners.

Kris Meeke (Toyota) and Sebastien Loeb (Hyundai) retained sixth and seventh places respectively ahead of Pontus Tidemand (M-Sport Ford).