Loeb extends his Monte Carlo lead

The reigning champion had taken the lead from Sordo in SS2 on Thursday night, and was determined to establish a clear advantage when the rally resumed this morning.

Loeb stretched the margin to 21 seconds by winning SS3, and although Sordo was two seconds quicker in the next test, another stage win for Loeb in SS4 has left him 23.5 seconds clear at the end of the loop.

"We are trying to make a gap with him because yesterday he was very fast and last year he was very fast," Loeb said after SS3.

"He was pushing me very hard, especially in this stage in the morning (in 2007). So this morning I said 'okay, I have to go now.'"

Sordo said that while he was still pushing, he was already aware that it would be hard to maintain the pressure on his teammate, who is chasing a fifth Monte Carlo win.

"I will try all the time of course," he said. "But also the championship battle with the other drivers is important, not only Sebastien."

Third-placed Mikko Hirvonen had been frustrated by his inability to match the Citroens on Thursday night, but was more satisfied with his pace relative to Loeb and Sordo on this morning's stages - even though he remains a minute adrift.

"Okay, we didn't manage to catch Sordo, but at least we are on his speed," said Hirvonen after SS3. "Now I'm happy."

The Subarus and Stobart Ford's Francois Duval remain in a close contest over fourth place. Duval pulled away from sixth-placed Petter Solberg and closed on Chris Atkinson's fourth position in SS3, before Atkinson stabilised the gap in the following two stages. The trio are currently covered by 16.2 seconds.

Duval's teammate Gigi Galli has maintained his steady approach to his World Rally Championship comeback, and holds a comfortable seventh place, half a minute behind Solberg.

Toni Gardemeister lost his overnight eighth place when a sensor problem caused the new Suzuki SX4 WRC to lose power in today's first stage. He had to struggle through the stages at reduced speed and has now fallen to 13th place.

This has allowed local privateer Jean-Marie Cuoq to move into the points.

Fellow Peugeot 307 driver Frederic Romeyer and the works Ford team's Khalid Al Qassimi complete the current top ten, and lead a group of six cars covered by just 13 seconds.

Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala, delayed by a puncture at the start of the rally, has now closed to within 12 seconds of this battle despite being unhappy with his driving this morning.

Leading positions after SS5:

Pos  Driver      Car      Time
 1.  Loeb        Citroen  1h00:18.8
 2.  Sordo       Citroen   +   23.5
 3.  Hirvonen    Ford      + 1:04.7
 4.  Atkinson    Subaru    + 2:02.2
 5.  Duval       Ford      + 2:08.7
 6.  P Solberg   Subaru    + 2:18.9
 7.  Galli       Ford      + 2:50.7
 8.  Cuoq        Peugeot   + 3:42.9
 9.  Romeyer     Peugeot   + 5:36.8
10.  Al Qassimi  Ford      + 5:39.5