WRC Rally Mexico: Jari-Matti Latvala takes ample lead into Sunday
Jari-Matti Latvala will carry a 1m35.7s advantage over Volkswagen team-mate Sebastien Ogier into Sunday's Rally Mexico finale after a calm run through the trio of spectator stages that closed Saturday
Latvala has taken maximum benefit from his World Rally champion stablemate having to run first on the road through the opening days.
Starting further back by virtue of failing to score a single point in Monte Carlo or Sweden, Latvala has won every single full-length stage in the rally so far.
Ogier nibbled a little back by being quickest on both Saturday's second run of the superspecial at the Leon circuit and the evening's street stage in the city.
But Latvala has plenty in hand even though Sunday - when the reverse-rally-order starting line-up means his road position advantage is gone - begins with a monster 49.7-mile stage, before concluding with a 10-mile powerstage.
Only attrition, of which there has been plenty this week, is likely to change the leading results on Sunday given the large gaps that have developed between the frontrunners.
Dani Sordo, pacesetter on Saturday's first superspecial blast, is cruising towards the new Hyundai's third podium in as many rallies with all pressure on his third place gone when Andreas Mikkelsen crashed the third VW on Saturday afternoon.
Mads Ostberg has nearly a minute's margin over Hayden Paddon as the pair complete the top five.
Mikkelsen is expected to restart under Rally2 on Sunday, when he will still have a chance of getting back into an overall top 10 currently completed by privateer Valery Gorban in one of the ageing Mini World Rally Cars.
Over three years after the Prodrive-run works programme was abandoned, the Mini has a shot at its first WRC points finish since Nathan Quinn took an example to eighth in Rally Australia in 2013.
M-Sport number two Eric Camilli will definitely restart under Rally2 on Sunday having crashed on Saturday while running 11th following a Friday puncture.
But there will be no third chance for Thierry Neuville, whose Hyundai was heavily damaged in his second accident of the weekend on Saturday morning.
Both Neuville and co-driver Nicolas Gilsoul were declared OK after precautionary checks in hospital following the incident on the Otates stage.
Autosport Race Centre Live's Rally Mexico coverage will resume at 1.45pm UK time on Sunday for the deciding stages
LEADING POSITIONS AFTER SS19:
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