Meeke fends off Skodas in Canarias

Peugeot UK driver Meeke won SS1, before Skoda's Juho Hanninen and Jan Kopecky claimed a fastest time apiece on the following two stages. The pair are now 3.7s and 3.8s respectively behind Meeke as they head for mid-morning service.

"Seems to be a bit of a race on..." said Meeke. "These stages provide so much grip, and on your first run you have to be careful you don't over-commit. It's easy to over-step the mark. It's going to be close all rally."

Guy Wilks was third on SS1 in the Skoda UK car, but is now 13s adrift in fourth, having struggled with a brake issue on SS2 and then oversteer on SS3.

Peugeot Portugal driver Bruno Magalhaes had been a close fourth at first, until a transmission problem slowed him on SS3, leaving him sixth behind Spanish Skoda driver Alberto Hevia. Magalhaes is confident the issue can be fixed in service.

Pos  Driver            Car          Time/Gap
 1.  Kris Meeke        Peugeot      28m18.6s
 2.  Juho Hanninen     Skoda          + 3.7s
 3.  Jan Kopecky       Skoda          + 3.8s
 4.  Guy Wilks         Skoda         + 13.3s
 5.  Alberto Hevia     Skoda         + 26.6s
 6.  Bruno Magalhaes   Peugeot       + 31.0s
 7.  Sergio Vallejo    Ford          + 34.0s
 8.  Thierry Neuville  Peugeot       + 34.6s
 9.  Franz Wittmann    Peugeot       + 42.3s
10.  Jose Suarez       Mitsubishi  + 2m08.5s