SS1, Cardiff: Advantage McRae
World Rally Championship leader Colin McRae has seized the initiative on the opening stage of the title-deciding Network Q Rally of Great Britain by setting the fastest time over the short Cardiff superspecial stage. Rival Richard Burns, meanwhile, finished 2.5s adrift in 10th place
This weekend's event is winner takes all with McRae, Tommi Makinen and Burns all separated by just two points and McRae's Ford team mate Carlos Sainz just seven points further back.
Thursday evening's short 2.45km section is a crowd-pleasing start to the event and has little bearing over how the drivers will fair when the proper stages through the Welsh forests get underway tomorrow (Friday).
McRae was just 0.1s faster than second-placed man and Burns' Subaru team mate Petter Solberg. Sainz followed in third spot ahead of Peugeot's Marcus Gronholm.
While the reigning champ will be forced to relinquish his crown come the end of the weekend, Gronholm is still fighting for the manufacturers' title on behalf of his French team. The flying Finn was closely followed by his Peugeot team mates Gilles Panizzi in fifth and Didier Auriol in sixth.
Alister McRae was seventh fastest while Hyundai team mate Kenneth Eriksson shared eighth spot with Markko Martin ahead of Burns at the foot of the top 10. The first of the proper stages begins on Friday morning at 0826 BST with the super fast 13.67km St Gwynno section. Expect fireworks...
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.
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