Loeb edges Gronholm in shakedown

The pair, who have won all of the first four rallies so far this season, were only separated by 0.3 seconds over the 6.94 km warm-up test at Capo di Feno-St Antoine.

Loeb edged his Finnish rival, but they were both two seconds quicker than anyone else, hinting that it is likely to be more of the same with regards to the identity of the driver to be found top step of the winner's rostrum in Corsica on Sunday.

Gronholm's Ford teammate Mikko Hirvonen was third quickest, ahead of Spaniard Dani Sordo, fresh from his second place finish in his home event last month.

Jari Matti Latvala, in his second event for the Stobart Motorsport Ford Team, was an impressive fifth quickest ahead of leading Subaru driver Petter Solberg.

Former Mitsubishi driver Harri Rovanpera was 12th quickest in his return to the sport with Red Bull Skoda. Rovanpera has complained of flu, although will attempt to take the start tomorrow.

The rally begins in earnest with the 32.89km stage Ampaza - Col St Eustache at 9.38am local time.

Shakedown times:

Pos  Driver              Make                  Time
 1.  Sebastien Loeb      Citroen               4:14.4
 2.  Marcus Gronholm     Ford                  4:14.7
 3.  Mikko Hirvonen      Ford                  4:16.7
 4.  Daniel Sordo        Citroen               4:17.8
 5.  Jari Matti Latvala  Ford                  4:18.8
 6.  Petter Solberg      Subaru                4:19.2
 7.  Xavier Pons         Citroen               4:21.4
 8.  Jan Kopecky         Skoda                 4:23.1
 9.  Manfred Stohl       Peugeot               4:23.3
10.  Alexandre Bengue    Peugeot               4:23.3
11.  Stephane Sarrazin   Subaru                4:23.5
12.  Harri Rovanpera     Red Bull Skoda Team   4:23.8
13.  Matthew Wilson      Ford                  4:25.0
14.  Andreas Aigner      Red Bull Skoda Team   4:26.2
15.  Gigi Galli          Peugeot               4:26.6