SS17, El Mirador 1: Gronholm finds his groove

Marcus Gronholm seems to have forgotten that his Peugeot 206 is suffering turbo problems as the world champion set the fastest time through SS17, the 20.65km El Mirador stage. Gronholm was nearly six seconds faster than any of his rivals, but just behind the Finn there is a battle royal going on between Colin McRae and Richard Burns

May 6, 2001, 1:40 PM

Ford's McRae still leads the rally by 30 seconds and the Scotsman was second fastest through El Mirador, but incredibly the Subaru of Richard Burns was just two tenths of a second slower on that last stage.

Carlos Sainz was fourth quickest on SS17, and the Spaniard's third place overall looks pretty safe, with Subaru's Petter Solberg falling back slightly. The young Norwegian could only manage the eight fastest time and he is now 1m20s behind Sainz in the battle for third.

Didier Auriol in the second Peugeot was fifth fastest and Alister McRae popped up with the sixth fastest time on El Mirador in his Hyundai Accent.

Tommi Makinen seems to have slightly off the boil. After being quickest on the first stage of the day, the four-time world champion could only manage the 11th fastest time on the stage.

The drivers now head to the first service of the day before heading out on Leg Three's longest timed section, the 24.60km Chamico test.