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Ott Tanak was fastest on Rally Germany’s opening superspecial, which for a long time looked like it would again by topped by WRC2 Skoda driver Jan Kopecky.
Last year asphalt ace Kopecky stunned the World Rally Championship by leading outright in Germany following SS1.
He appeared set to repeat that feat as a string of factory World Rally Car drivers failed to beat his 2m11.8s time.
But Kopecky was eventually pipped by Dani Sordo’s Hyundai and then Toyota driver Tanak beat both to take the early rally lead.
Tanak, the dominant winner of the previous WRC round in Finland, felt the St Wendel stage was one of the worst and tightest superspecials he had ever experienced but ended it 0.4 seconds ahead of Sordo and 0.6s up on Kopecky.
Kalle Rovanpera also got ahead of Sordo and Kopecky to end the evening in second in his Skoda Fabia R5.
Championship leader Thierry Neuville was a relaxed ninth fastest, 2s off Tanak’s pace.
Neuville’s title rival Sebastien Ogier headed for service four places ahead in fifth, with Andreas Mikkelsen, Craig Breen and Esapekka Lappi between them.
Jari-Matti Latvala was only 10th in the remaining Toyota having clipped a hay bale and then briefly stopped.
Mads Ostberg brought up the rear of the WRC field and reported a lack of power in his Citroen.
Join Autosport for live coverage of Rally Germany on Friday from 9am UK time.
Leading times after SS1
| Pos | Driver | Team | Car | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ott Tanak, M.Jarveoja | Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT | Toyota | 2m11.2s |
| 2 | Dani Sordo, C.del Barrio | Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT | Hyundai | 0.4s |
| 3 | Jan Kopecky, P.Dresler | Skoda Motorsport II | Skoda | 0.6s |
| 4 | Sebastien Ogier, J.Ingrassia | M-Sport World Rally Team | Ford | 0.9s |
| 5 | Andreas Mikkelsen, A.Jager | Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT | Hyundai | 1.0s |
| 6 | Craig Breen, S.Martin | Citroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT | Citroen | 1.1s |
| 7 | Esapekka Lappi, J.Ferm | Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT | Toyota | 1.5s |
| 8 | Thierry Neuville, N.Gilsoul | Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT | Hyundai | 2.0s |
| 9 | Jari-Matti Latvala, M.Anttila | Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT | Toyota | 2.6s |
| 10 | Teemu Suninen, M.Markkula | M-Sport World Rally Team | Ford | 3.3s |