McRae bullish after stage win

McRae leads the World Rally Championship by just one point from Finn Tommi Makkinen and two points from arch rival Richard Burns and the Ford ace finished at the top of the time sheets, nine places ahead of his fellow Brit.

The Scot, who was fastest by just one tenth of a second, dismissed claims that the short 2.45km Cardiff superspecial stage was not important. He said: "Even thought this is just a superspecial, a stage is still a stage and it's nice to be quickest."

Burns meanwhile was unconcerned about his position at the foot of the top 10 and was hampered by a dirty windscreen and poor visibilty as the Subaru man went head to head with his rival.

"I got a lot of muck on the windscreen from being behind Colin's car near the start," said Burns. "I couldn't really see, so I had to slow down for the next couple of corners. But this one really isn't that important."

Between them, the pair have won the British event for the last six years and will slug it out through the Welsh forests over the next three days and 16 stages.

For full times from SS1, click here.

For full rally live timings, click here.

For rally itinerary, click here.

For full entry list, click here.