FARO // Sebastien Ogier continued his fine recent form by holding the lead at the end of the opening day of the Rally of Portugal. The Citroen Junior Team driver, who finished second last time out in New Zealand, worked his way to the front towards the end of the morning loop of stages, and then set about increasing his advantage on the afternoon's repeat run. The Frenchman holds a 26.6sec-lead over the factory Citroen of Dani Sordo, with Sebastien Loeb, the championship leader, a further 18 seconds back in third place as the French manufacturer locked out the top three spots.
Mikko Hirvonen is fourth in his BP Ford Abu Dhabi car with Petter Solberg fifth and Jari-Matti Latvala, the New Zealand winner and BP Ford Abu Dhabi driver, back in sixth. Sordo had moved into the lead after topping the times on this morning's first stage, and the Spaniard then retained that advantage through the next test. But Ogier assumed the lead after setting the fastest time during the final stage of the morning, and he rammed home his advantage with an impressive display during the afternoon loop.
His cause was further aided by Sordo suffering a throttle problem during the day's final test as he stretched out his lead. Loeb's fastest time on that stage moved him up to third. * PA