Stage 11: Makinen still head of the pack

Once again, McRae put in a quick time on the first stage of the day [11], and moved up the leader board to third - pushing Toni Gardemeister down a place to fourth.

The Scot put in a time of 12.46.1 on the 17.94km Selonnet - Breziers section, which was run as stage four on the first day of the event.

Makinen - who won the stage on Thursday with a time of 12.47.6 - was only fourth fastest on Saturday morning.

With a consistent string of second places, Carlos Sainz has managed to reduce the gap between himself and the Finn to 1.43.4.

There are now four stages left.

Overall positions:

1 T Makinen - Mitsubishi - 2.58.22.3

2 C Sainz - Ford - 3.00.05.7

3 C McRae - Ford - 3.00.42.8

4 T Gardemeister - SEAT - 3.00.44.4

5 J Kankkunen - Subaru - 3.01.26.9

6 B Thiry - Toyota - 3.02.41.6

7 F Loix - Mitsubishi - 3.03.43.4

8 D Auriol - SEAT - 3.05.02.8

9 O Burri - Toyota - 3.05.56.6

10 H Lundgaard - Toyota - 3.06.27.9

Results from stage 11:

1 C McRae - Ford - 12.46.1

2 C Sainz - Ford - 12.51.2

3 A Schwarz - Skoda - 12.52.3

4 T Makinen - Mitsubishi - 12.58.5

5 J Kankkunen - Subaru - 12.59.7

6 D Auriol - SEAT - 13.03.6

7 T Gardemeister - SEAT - 13.04.6

8 B Thiry - Toyota - 13.06.3

9 F Loix - Mitsubishi - 13.07.8

10 H Lundgaard - Toyota - 13.10.5