Thirty-nine classified competitors and three more retired crews rejoining under the SupeRally rules left Lloret de Mar early this morning for the third and final leg of this penultimate round of the FIA World Rally Championship.  Two identical loops of three speed tests, split by service in Vic, comprise the day's action, with 106.16km of competition awaiting.

 

Overnight rain had stopped by the time the drivers left Vic for the first loop.  However, the roads were wet in places and rally leaders Markko Märtin and Michael Park opted for Michelin's soft compound slick tyres on their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car.

 

The BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers were third fastest on the opening predominantly downhill 12.85km Sant Boi de Llucanès test before posting joint fastest time on the 5.05km La Roca.  They then won the 35.18km Viladrau, the longest special stage of the rally and one that features the spectacular and much photographed hairpin bend beneath the motorway bridge.

 

It was Märtin's fifth fastest time of the rally and the eighth for the BP-Ford team.  The 28-year-old Estonian arrived back at the Vic service park with a 43.1sec lead over Marcus Grönholm, having controlled his pace perfectly through the three tests.

 

"I have been driving according to the split times of the other drivers, which the team have sent to us electronically during the stages," said Märtin.  "I have just matched their pace and driven carefully.  As a result I've probably driven badly, because it's more difficult to drive relatively slowly than it is when you drive at normal pace.

 

"The first stage was very slippery with quite a lot of water on a low grip surface.  The next test was damp and the last was dirty and slippery, with plenty of gravel on the road.  The sun was quite low and on the middle stage it was difficult to pick out the driving line.  We made a good tyre choice but it's easy to make a mistake and there are some sharp edges on some of the corners.  Drivers are cutting corners everywhere and there's plenty of dirt being dragged onto the asphalt," he added.

 

Drivers now repeat the three stages before returning to Lloret de Mar for the finish ceremony this afternoon.

 

Leaderboard after stage 17 of 20

1.  M Märtin/M Park                            EE                   Ford Focus RS            3hr 05min 55.1sec

2.  M Grönholm/T Rautiainen                   FIN                   Peugeot 307              3hr 06min 38.2sec

3.  C Sainz/M Marti                            E                      Citroen Xsara               3hr 06min 47.4sec

4.  S Sarrazin/P Pivato              F                      Subaru Impreza            3hr 08min 30.3sec

5.  P Solberg/P Mills                                    N                      Subaru Impreza            3hr 09min 13.6sec

6.  D Sola/X Amigo                          E                      Mitsubishi Lancer            3hr 09min 26.0sec

7.  G Galli/G D'Amore                                  I                       Mitsubishi Lancer            3hr 09min 47.6sec

8.  T Gardemeister/P Lukander            FIN                   Skoda Fabia               3hr 10min 25.8sec

9.  M Hirvonen/J Lehtinen                      FIN                   Subaru Impreza            3hr 10min 26.6sec

10 N Vouilloz/D Giraudet                      F                      Peugeot 206              3hr 10min 35.0sec