Burns won't chase Gronholm for win

With the Scot crashing out, Burns just needs a fourth place finish on the WRC finale to overhaul McRae's point lead in the world championship battle.

Marcus Gronholm leads the rally from Peugeot team-mate Didier Auriol. Burns is 19 seconds behind Gronholm in third with a comfortable 13 second gap to Harri Rovanpera in fourth. Carlos Sainz, the only other driver still in the rally with a hope of winning the title, is way down in 13th.

"There is no point chasing after Gronholm," Burns said. "I just need to hold station."

But Burns is taking nothing for granted. "It's tough if you're trying to win or trying to finish fourth. There is a long way to go."

He spoke of his reaction when he passed McRae's crashed Ford Focus on SS4. "The first thing I thought when I saw his car was 'f**k, that's a big one'. Then I said to myself, 'Colin can still be champion'."