From www.wrc.com
Citroen C4 driver Sebastien Loeb will go into Sunday's third and final day of the Cyprus Rally - the shortest of the event - with a lead of 49 seconds.
But he could have had more if brake problems and a difficult road position hadn't slowed him this afternoon. Ford's Mikko Hirvonen was quicker than Loeb on five of the day's six stages but lost a big chunk of time on SS9. Things improved in the afternoon's drier conditions and he capitalised on Loeb's SS11 problems to reduce the gap by around 15 seconds.
Citroen's Dani Sordo started the afternoon with Hirvonen's third place in his sights, but in the dry conditions he was forced to switch to a defensive strategy as he found himself under attack from a hard charging Petter Solberg behind.
Sordo will begin Sunday's competition just 15.9 seconds ahead of the Norwegian, whose 2006 specification Xsara is suited with active front and rear differentials, outlawed on more recent machinery. Solberg was fastest on both afternoon stages.
Citroen C4 driver Sebastien Loeb will go into Sunday's third and final day of the Cyprus Rally - the shortest of the event - with a lead of 49 seconds.
But he could have had more if brake problems and a difficult road position hadn't slowed him this afternoon. Ford's Mikko Hirvonen was quicker than Loeb on five of the day's six stages but lost a big chunk of time on SS9. Things improved in the afternoon's drier conditions and he capitalised on Loeb's SS11 problems to reduce the gap by around 15 seconds.
Citroen's Dani Sordo started the afternoon with Hirvonen's third place in his sights, but in the dry conditions he was forced to switch to a defensive strategy as he found himself under attack from a hard charging Petter Solberg behind.
Sordo will begin Sunday's competition just 15.9 seconds ahead of the Norwegian, whose 2006 specification Xsara is suited with active front and rear differentials, outlawed on more recent machinery. Solberg was fastest on both afternoon stages.