Leg 1: Loeb sets blistering pace

Loeb set convincing fastest stage times on the final two stages of the day and the reigning Super 1600 champion managed to pull out an impressive 17 seconds over the second fastest man Peugeot's Gilles Panizzi on the Leg's closing stage Puget-Toudon.

Despite a strong finish, the day did not start nearly so well for the PSA marques. Citroen lost both Thomas Radstrom and Philippe Bugalski due to engine blow-ups on their way to SS1, while Panizzi incurred a 130-second penalty for leaving a service area late before the first stage had even started.

However, the Frenchman did an admirable job to work his way back up to 14th overall by the end of the day.

Early leader Carlos Sainz was passed by his Ford team mate Colin McRae as last year's world championship runner-up got into his stride. Despite the Scot stalling on the start line of SS3, he finished the day in third spot.

Sainz struggled with a lack of power steering in his Focus WRC on the final stage of the day, but managed to move up to fifth by the close ahead of Petter Solberg's Subaru.

"It's always quicker for me on the second run through a stage as I can check my pacenotes," said Solberg. "It's a shame we didn't have one more run through the long stage [SS4 Sisteron-Thorad] because I think I could have been close to Loeb."

Marcus Gronholm was the highest-placed Peugeot driver in fourth sport and the 2000 world champion had the first moral victory over his new team mate and last year's title winner Richard Burns by finishing three places ahead.

Burns admitted before the event that he would be taking a softly, softly approach, but that didn't stop the Brit having a scary moment on SS1 when his 206 WRC ended up in a field. He only lost around 15seconds as he got back on the road, but finished the day a distant seventh.

Four runs over the famous Col de Turini await the drivers on Saturday and all eyes will be on Loeb, both to see if he can maintain his blistering pace and also to see if his Xsara T4 holds out. The young Frenchman had engine problems during Thursday's shakedown and with Radstrom and Bugalski retiring early, there will be several sets of fingers crossed in the Citroen camp.

Makinen has won the Monte three times before and cannot be discounted -neither can the weather. A tense battle awaits...

For full times from SS5, click here.

For full rally live timings, click here.

For rally itinerary, click here.

For full entry list, click here.