SS4, Mokkipera: Burns attacks

But the Finnish/Peugeot assault on the Rally of Finland has no way been halted. Marcus Gronholm was only three tenths of a second slower than Burns through Mokkipera and the world champ still leads overall.

Harri Rovanpera in the second Peugeot was fast through the stage, but not quite fast enough, as the second Subaru of Markko Martin popped up with the third fastest time on SS4, just ahead of the Finn in fourth. Martin moves up to fourth overall on the leaderboard as home boy Jani Paasonen slipped back a little after only managing the seventh fastest time on Mokkipera.

Between Martin and Passonen, Didier Auriol was fifth fastest on the stage in the third Peugeot, closely followed by the third Subaru of Petter Solberg.

Eight and ninth fastest through Mokkipera were Ford duo Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae. But despite being way down on the leaderboard, the pair are less than 40 seconds off the pacesetters at the front, proving just how close things are as the leg reaches its half-way point.

The next test, SS5 Palsankyla is the longest stage of the leg at 25.47km.

For SS4, Mokkipera, results, click here.

For full live timings table click here.

For full entry list click here.

For the itinerary click here.