Stage 2: Gronholm takes the lead

Thomas Radstrom (rejected by Ford for 2000 and now driving a privately run ex-works Toyota Corolla WRC) set the fastest time on the first stage, but then saw Peugeot driver Marcus Gronholm go even faster on the second.

After two stages, therefore, it is Gronholm who leads for Finland from Sweden's Radstrom while world champion Tommi Makinen shares third with fellow Finn Juha Kankkunen.

The Ford duo of Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae head the 'foreign' challenge in fifth and sixth respectively.

Hyundai's entry to the championship with the new Accent WRC has been cautious with Alister McRae holding 16th place while team mate Kenneth Eriksson has limped through the opening pair of stages with a broken turbo pipe and is struggling to stay in the top 30.

Overall times:

1 - Gronholm - Peugeot - 20.10.0

2 - Radstrom - Toyota - 20.16.1

3 - Makinen - Mitsubishi - 20.19.0

=3 - Kankkunen - Subaru - 20.19.0

5 - Sainz - Ford - 20.19.3

6 - McRae - Ford - 20.25.5

7 - Delecour - Peugeot - 20.31.4

8 - Burns - Subaru - 20.31.7

9 - Hagstrom - Toyota - 20.35.6

10 - Rovanpera - SEAT - 20.42.3

Stage two times:

1 - Gronholm - Peugeot - 12.10.3

2 - Kankkunen - Subaru - 12.16.6

3 - Radstrom - Toyota - 12.18.4

4 - Makinen - Mitsubishi - 12.18.8

5 - McRae - Ford - 12.20.1

6 - Sainz - Ford - 12.20.5

7 - Burns - Subaru - 12.23.2

8 - Delecour - Peugeot - 12.24.5

9 - Hagstrom - Toyota - 12.27.7

10 - Rovanpera - SEAT - 12.31.2