The second round of the World Rally Championship season in Sweden saw Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) taking the lead after the first competitive day, closely followed by his teammates Elfyn Evans and Sami Pajari. Romet Jürgenson (Ford) secured a sixth-place position in the WRC2 class. The competition was fierce, with dramatic shifts in standings throughout the day, particularly impacting the strategy of the teams involved.

Oliver Solberg (Toyota), who claimed victory in the rally's opening stage on Thursday, faced a challenging day on Friday, losing his lead early due to a half-spin and stalling the car. His difficulties compounded on the third speed stage when he veered off the track twice before managing to continue, showcasing the demanding conditions of the course that featured significant snow.

As the competition progressed, Katsuta, who started the day in second place behind Elfyn Evans, managed to win the first two special stages in the afternoon. This performance catapulted him within 2.5 seconds of Evans. Ultimately, Katsuta seized control of the rally in the penultimate stage of the day, taking a narrow lead of 2.8 seconds into the next day's competition, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the rally.