Rally GB: Solberg attacks

Petter Solberg's promise of a fight in today's final leg of the Wales Rally GB has been delivered as the Subaru ace sliced 5.1s out of Sebastien Loeb's (Citroen) lead on the second stage of the day. The scene is set for a fight to the wire as the two battle it out with just two stages left to run

Sep 19, 2004, 10:55 AM

Solberg and Loeb were both vastly quicker than the rest of the field with Ford's Markko Martin the best of the rest on the stage, but 15s off the pace of Solberg. The Estonian is in a safe third place overall with Carlos Sainz (Citroen) 35s adrift in fourth.

Francois Duval continues to set consistent times in the second Ford and maintains his fifth place overall in the standings. Peugeot's Harri Rivanpera has increased his lead over Subaru's Mikko Hirvonen and is certain to keep hold of sixth spot all being well.

Ford privateer Mark Higgins, though, has come under pressure for the final points position from fellow privateer Manfred Stohl, the gap between them is now just 2.8s.