Ford pleased with Sainz podium

"I said before the rally that at this point of the season, it's important to accumulate points regularly. We've done that again here with our third podium finish of the season."

He made no mention of the suspected engine failure that put McRae out during leg one.

However, spirits were lifted in the Ford camp by the speed of the cars, and Sainz's consistency, which brought home his second podium of the year.

The Focus scored six stage wins, three of which Sainz was responsible for, despite his relative inexperience in the car.

"This was my first pure gravel rally in the Focus," said Sainz, "and it took time for me to settle. But I quickly came to terms with the car, and the fact that I was able to set fastest times shows we're at a fairly good level of performance on gravel."

The 37-year-old Spaniard now lies fourth in the points, behind Subaru's Richard Burns, Mitsubishi's Tommi Makinen and Peugeot's Marcus Gronholm.