Sarrazin tops Germany shakedown

The team will have their work cut out tonight though to repair the damage caused to teammate Petter Solberg's Impreza when the Norwegian hit trees on his final run through the stage.

However, Sarrazin proved that the Japanese manufacturer will be competitive this weekend, by posting a time quicker than four-time event winner Sebastien Loeb through the 3.3 km practice stage.

The Frenchman, who has won five of the last six rallies, could equal Carlos Sainz's record for all-time WRC victories should he win this weekend.

He currently lies joint-second with Colin McRae thanks to 25 career victories, but a fifth successive German win would draw him level at the top of the list with Sainz on 26.

Solberg was only two-tenths of a second slower before his off to be third fastest, ahead of an impressive time from Stephan Vojtech in his privateer Peugeot.

Leading shakedown times:

Pos  Driver               Car       Time
 1.  Stephane Sarrazin    Subaru    1:50.3
 2.  Sebastien Loeb       Citroen   1:50.4 
 3.  Petter Solberg       Subaru    1:50.6
 4.  Stephan Vojtech      Peugeot   1:50.9 
 5.  Jan Kopecky          Skoda     1:51.0
 =   Daniel Sordo         Citroen   1:51.0 
 7.  Manfred Stohl        Peugeot   1:51.4
 8.  Francois Duval       Skoda     1:51.6
 9.  Chris Atkinson       Subaru    1:51.8 
10.  Mikko Hirvonen       Ford      1:52.0
 =   Jari-Matti Latvala   Ford      1:52.0