"I am so happy that this feels like a victory! Emil [Axelsson – my co-driver] and I were talking about all of our good rallies and this feels better than all the others. The car is fantastic and even though we are missing a little power at the top end we will have the 2008 engine for Argentina so I'm looking forward to seeing how much better it is then," reflected the 2006 Junior champion.
"When we started here we hoped for a top three finish which we achieved but we never thought we would also be fighting for a win so that was a bonus. This is more than Peugeot Sweden and France could have hoped for."
Prokop was frustrated to have lost out, but still reasonably pleased with P4: "Of course, I am, disappointed not to have third - in the end it was a very big fight with Patrik. But, I have to be satisfied with this result," he stated.
"This is my first year in the Production Car World Rally Championship and I don't know these rallies or this car very well. The Mitsubishi hasn't caused any trouble for me throughout the event - I have to say, the car has been fantastic. I have learned a lot during this rally and now I have to put that into practice on the coming rounds of the championship."
Further down the order, Uwe Nittel was fifth on his return to the sport, while defending champion, Toshi Arai had to make do with sixth. Ari was one of four PWRC drivers using the all-new Impreza and he struggled somewhat to get to grips with the car.
"It is not a bad start," said the Japanese driver, who is bidding to win his third Production crown this year, "but we have to do more testing before the next rally in Argentina."
Of the rest Armindo Araujo and Bernardo Sousa came in seventh and eighth respectively, the latter holding off Simone Campedelli to take the final point on his first outing in the PWRC and only his second ever in the WRC.
![Juho Hanninen (FIN) / Mikko Markkula (FIN), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV [Production Car WRC]. Uddeholm Swedish Rally, February 7-10th 2008.](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/405667.jpg)
