Day 2: Seb extends lead

After a wild and unpredictable morning, the afternoon got off to a slow start with the cancellation of SS10, the 24.79km run through Tourette de Chateau. As with SS1 yesterday, spectator overcrowding prevented the cars from powering through in anger.

This left just one stage for the drivers to tackle in the afternoon, the 28.38km Sigale-Col de Bleine run. The conditions transpired against the drivers, with many slowed by heavy fog mid-stage.

Inevitably, however, the fog didn't slow Loeb. The Frenchman surged through the stage 9.8s quicker than anyone else, ensuring he enters the overnight break with a commanding lead of 1m28.7s. With just four stages to run tomorrow it would take a brave man to bet against Loeb winning his second consecutive Monte.

Markko Martin was second fastest through SS11, clawing back 3.8s on his Ford team-mate Francois Duval, who was fourth quickest. The gap between the two, who sit second and third overall, is now 13s.

Marcus Gronholm was third quickest to cement his fourth position overall in the Peugeot 307 WRC. His former team-mate, Gilles Panizzi, pushed his Mitsubishi Lancer WRC to the fifth fastest time, although he remains a distant seventh overall.

Reigning champion Petter Solberg continues to run fifth overall after setting the sixth quickest time on the stage, while Ford privateer Anthony Warmbold occupies eighth overall.

We'll have full coverage of the final stages from the Monte Carlo Rally here on autosport.com tomorrow.