SS8, Karoutes 1: Two out of two for Delecour

Following on from his quickest time on the day's first stage, the Ford driver was almost seven seconds clear of second-placed man Richard Burns, and the Frenchman moves into the top 10 overall, securing ninth place.

Karoutes is one of four stages on Saturday that will be run on for the first time. It is on these tests that rally leader Colin McRae is expected to lose time on his rivals, as his car, first out on the road, sweeps a clearer, faster path for others to follow.

That proved to be the case with McRae finishing the stage in eighth place, almost 14 seconds behind Delecour and three seconds behind the driver currently second overall, team mate Carlos Sainz - who was fifth fastest on Karoutes.

Tommi Makinen in the Mitsubishi and compatriot Harri Rovanpera, in the remaining Peugeot, set identical times on SS8, finishing the stage in joint third, nine seconds off Delecour's pace.

Behind the Finnish pair was another Scandinavian, Norwegian Petter Solberg in the Subaru. After leading the rally for much of the first leg, Solberg is now fourth overall.

Hyundai's Alister McRae finished the stage ahead of his older brother in seventh, with Philippe Bugalski's Citroen and Freddy Loix's Mitsubishi again ninth and tenth respectively.

For SS8 results click here.

For full live timings table click here.

For full entry list click here.

For the itinerary click here.