Sebastien Loeb:
“We chose the snow tyre for safety. In our position I wanted the safe choice and it was okay - in the end we were doing the same times as Mikko so it was good. It’s good not to have to push on the limit - the most important thing is getting the points. I know rallies in the future like Norway will be difficult.”

Mikko Hirvonen:
“There wasn’t so much water on the road this morning but it was a bit damp and greasy - and on these [PZero asphalt] tyres it was a little slippery. For me it was still the right choice for these conditions. I was a little bit cautious in places. But if it was a big fight I could have been faster. If I can finish third and get six points it won’t be a bad start to my season.”

Henning Solberg:
“Fifth place is still a good result - I’m happy. I have a new saying which translates as “I can’t beat that Citroen even if I stand on my head,” the original Norwegian version is ruder. This afternoon I want to keep the position. Perhaps I can speed up one or two seconds but it’s not going to be enough to make a difference.”

Dani Sordo:
“Not bad for the start of the season. It’s looking good but the rally is not finished. I had good confidence this morning. It’s more difficult to drive like this [defensively] and to keep the concentration but I’m happy.”

Mathew Wilson:
“The first stage was good - maybe we caught Sebastien Ogier by surprise. After that he picked up the pace and we had a half spin on SS16. It looks like too much of a gap to close now. The conditions today are great - the sun is out and there are loads of spectators. I’ve always said we should come here in the summer!”

Khalid Al Qassimi
The roads are less wet, but more slippery than yesterday’s. They feel greasy. We were sliding about a lot so we backed off in a few places. I’m not thinking about the possible points finish yet - I won’t until we reach the podium. I have to keep it steady - the problem is when you back off you can spoil your driving style.”

Courtesy: www.wrc.com