Loeb free to push for victory

Before the event, Citroen had ordered their drivers to prioritise clinching the manufacturers' championship over winning the event, but with Ford now looking unlikely to make up the 11-point deficit, Quesnel says he is happy to let Loeb attack leader Jari-Matti Latvala.

Just 7.4 seconds separate the two drivers going into today's four stages, and with Latvala's Ford teammate Mikko Hirvonen down in ninth after his Friday accident and Citroen's Dani Sordo holding third place, Citroen believe their manufacturers' title bid is in sufficiently good shape to let Loeb push.

"We'll tell Sebastien to try to win the rally," said Quesnel.

"I think he will push very hard. But we have to take care given the weather, because I think it could be very cold. Latvala is opening the road, and seven seconds behind... we have to go."

But while Loeb is free to challenge for victory, Sordo has been told to drive conservatively - even though that could mean his third place comes under threat with Subaru's Petter Solberg just 24.6 seconds behind.

"Dani will have to stay on the road to get the points to get the title, and Sebastien will be free to charge, to push," said Quesnel.

"Tomorrow I will ask (Sordo) to go very slowly. He just has to finish and it will be very good for us."

Sordo said he understood what was required of him.

"Of course the objective is to finish the rally and take points for the manufacturers' championship, but also for the drivers' championship, because if Latvala wins, I need to take two points to finish in third position (in the standings)," he said.

"I think that's very important for me. I will try to finish on the podium, but if Solberg's pushing very hard, it's no problem."