Marklund leads Finland rallycross

Swedish driver Anton Marklund heads the order after two heats at the fourth round of the World Rallycross Championship at Kouvola in Finland.

Marklund was fourth fastest in heat one and quickest in heat two, capitalising from running in the fastest race of the session when rain fell just before the start.

On a drying track, the last race of the heat was the fastest, lap times improving by over two seconds each time with each race that passed.

Second overnight is championship leader Reinis Nitiss, who spun all on his own in the last race of heat two but recovered to still set the fourth fastest time. Fellow OlsbergsMSE driver Andreas Bakkerud lies third overnight, ahead of Timmy Hansen.

Polish driver Krzysztof Skorupski is having his best event of the season so far and is fifth. He finished second to Tanner Foust in the penultimate race of heat two and is just ahead of the American in the overall standings.

Irish driver Derek Tohill had a consistent run through both of his heat races to be eighth overnight ahead of Alexander Hvaal, who beat team-mate/boss Petter Solberg in a close race finish in heat one after Solberg made a poor start.

Jacques Villeneuve is 12th overall, two places up on Timur Timerzyanov. Last year's European champion retired from heat two with technical issues.

British driver Liam Doran set a slow time in heat one when the turbo failed on his Citroen DS3. Starting in the first race of heat two, Doran encountered the worst of the wet conditions and was forced to crawl through, setting 12th fastest time and sitting in 17th position overnight.

Rallycross debutant Markus Winkelhock was out before the event had really got underway, engine problems in practice forcing him to miss both of his heat races.

Overnight classification:

1. Anton Marklund
2. Reinis Nitiss
3. Andreas Bakkerud
4. Timmy Hansen
5. Kryzstof Skorupski
6. Tanner Foust