News and quotes SS1 (Golf & Therme 1)

First on the track, first in the standings: Sébastien Ogier and his co-driver Vincent Landais kicked off the race against the clock on the first stage of the Central European Rally and promptly set the fastest time: 6:24.5 minutes put them in first place ahead of Hyundai's spearhead Adrien Fourmaux (6:26.2 minutes). The dominant topic for most drivers was the unexpectedly slippery track conditions, as each starter left a little more dirt and leaves on the track, causing some teams to slip slightly. The choice of tyres also caused some drivers to frown. Major drama in the Junior WRC: Eamonn Kelly rolled his car in the final corner and was unable to finish the stage.

#17 Sébastien Ogier (FRA) / Vincent Landais (FRA), Toyota GR Yaris Rally

"I think it's going to be a tough weekend. This is just the beginning."

#33 Elfyn Evans (GBR) / Scott Martin (GBR), Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

"I tried everything, but it didn't go ideally. We probably made a few small mistakes. We have to drive smoothly here."

#69 Kalle Rovanperä (FIN) / Jonne Halttunen (FIN), Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

"It went worse than expected. We had a lot of understeer and I don't know if the tyres were the right choice for this special stage. They didn't provide enough grip. Apart from that, it went okay, even though we lost a little time."

#1 Thierry Neuville (BEL) / Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL), Hyundai i20 N Rally1

"I don't know where I lost time. I tried to drive cleanly. But the road is getting dirtier and dirtier, that's for sure. But it's not a disaster. We lost time in the last few corners. But I'm still happy with my run. It's only the first stage, after all."

#16 Adrien Fourmaux (FRA) / Alexandre Coria (FRA), Hyundai i20 N Rally1

"The track was dirtier than expected – we had noted something different during the recce, but now there was a lot of dirt on the road."

#5 Sami Pajari (FIN) / Marko Salminen (FIN), Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

"It was very slippery and there is already a lot of dirt on the track. It wasn't easy to build confidence because there were too many surprises."

#20 Oliver Solberg (SWE) / Elliott Edmondson (GBR), Toyota GR Yaris

"It was very slippery. The tyres started to slip at some point. Otherwise, nothing special happened."

#23 Alejandro Cachón (ESP) / Borja Rozada (ESP), Toyota GR Yaris

"I really pushed hard. The tyre started to slip towards the middle. I love fast passages and there are quite a few of them in this rally. I try to enjoy them."