Day 1: Rough justice for rally stars

Special Stage 8 (SS8) was initially delayed when spectators failed to observe safety measures, then, when the drivers attacked the superspecial down at Lilea, it was found to be too dusty to be navigated safely. The cars finished the stage but not at full speed and the times were scrubbed.

News then filtered through that Marcus Gronholm had been forced into retirement after fuel pick-up problem developed on the road section on the way back to Lamia. His Peugeot had gas in the tank but problems with the fuel pump were stopping normal delivery to the engine. The world champion pulled over and got going again but retired 6km from the service park.

At the end of a hard day, peppered with retirements (see separate stories - links below), Ford's Markko Martin held off Peugeot's Harri Rovenpera, by a slender margin of 4.8s, while Subaru's Petter Solberg picked up Gronholm's recently vacated third place. Carlos Sainz kept Citroen's hopes alive in fourth, and Tommi Makinen's Subaru back in fifth, while Britain's Colin McRae and Richard Burns soldiered on in seventh and ninth.

Burns had been first out on each stage, as the championship leader, and suffered the ignominy of clearing the rocky stages for those behind. His Peugeot also lost third gear in the early stages.

McRae bounced back from a 50s penalty levied in the morning for being late into a checkpoint, to finish just 56.8s off the lead. It was rough justice for the Scot whose Citroen had had engine starting problems, he thus incurred the penalty through no fault of his own.

All in all there were 31 retirements across the board on Day One, every one with an 'if only' story to tell, 52 cars remain on the 'punishment list' for tomorrow.